Harry Potter and The Phoenix Song
by The Black Iris
Summary: Troubled over the loss of his godfather, Sirius Black, Harry finds himself drowning in depression and fear until he gets a visitor with a gift even Harry would never have imagined...
1. Lost

Troubled over the loss of his godfather, Sirius Black, Harry finds himself drowning in depression and fear; until he gets a visitor with a gift even Harry would never have imagined. A gift, which gives him hope, and faith in himself; a gift, that would bring Harry Potter, power beyond his imagining, and make Harry's sixth year his most eventful yet. And hopefully bring him the strength needed to win over his enemies, and fulfill the Prophecy in his favor…

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter One – Lost…

"No!"

The boy awoke wide-eyed and sweating. The moon showed in through his bedroom window, gleaming off his abnormally pale skin. His bright green eyes darted around the room as he reached to the thin wooden object on his nightstand, with fear flowing through him, making him tremble. Suddenly he relaxed, realizing that it had just been another dream.

It wasn't the first time that the not so ordinary boy awoke from the nightmares that left him physically and emotionally drained. Sadness shrouded his thoughts and clouded his heart with the memory that he wished was a nightmare. It had been four weeks and he hadn't gotten a decent nights sleep since the night that his godfather's life had been claimed by the deadly veil in the Department of Mysteries, deep within the Ministry of Magic. Why he hadn't taken to not sleeping at all was beyond him. It would be better then the nightmares.

Harry Potter, 'The boy who lived,' as most deemed him, had fallen into a pit of depression and fear since he had left his friends at Kings Cross Station three weeks previous. He had become dangerously thin and if it were possible, paler then anyone had ever seen him. Harry had become increasingly paranoid over the weeks following the incident at the Ministry of Magic, he was sure that Voldemort was out for retribution, he could feel it.

Harry held his breath and listened to the sleeping house on Privet Drive, waiting for any indication that he had woken up anyone in the house with his plea in his sleep, as he had so many times in the past weeks. He let out his breath in a sigh; thankfully, the only sounds were those of his cousin's snores in the next room. Harry could only imagine what his uncle would do to him tonight if he had woken him up again, especially because Uncle Vernon had to be up at the crack of dawn to pick up his sister at the train station.

"Aunt Marge," Harry hissed to himself. The last time Harry had seen her was near the start of his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He had quite literally blown her up after she had insulted not only him, but also his family. Not the family he lived with, but his mother and father, who had given there lives to protect him when he was just one year old. That was the same year that he had met Sirius.

'_Stop thinking about him_,' Harry ordered himself as he threw aside his thin useless blanket and grabbing his glasses from the nightstand, he rolled out of bed, having given up on sleep for another night. He crept from his room and tip toed to the bathroom across the hall. Closing the door behind him, he switched on the light and squinted at the brightness.

Harry walked to the sink and letting the water run for a few minutes, waiting for it get ice cold. He looked at himself in the mirror through squinted eyes as he placed his glasses on the side of the sink with one hand, and waited for the water to numb his fingers with the other. Harry cupped his hands under the running water and splashed the frigid water over his face. He looked back up to his refection, water dripped from his raven hair and his near translucent face. He didn't want to admit it to himself, but there were tears mingled among the droplets of water.

Both his parents and his godfather had died in the pursuit of trying to protect him, and look how he was repaying them. He looked feet from deaths door and he saw no way of getting himself out of the pit of despair that he had so easily fallen into. Amazingly enough, even his Aunt Petunia was starting to worry for him, or at least worrying about what the Order might do when they came and found him in the state that he had put himself in.

Harry dried his face, and without looking at himself in the mirror, he put on his cracked glasses, thanks to his oaf of a cousin, and made his way down stairs to the kitchen, where he planned on sitting until sunrise. He had found himself doing this almost every night since returning to the Dursley's. He found a certain peace and calm sitting alone there, with nothing but the dark and silence as his companions for hours.

Harry sat down and cleared his mind of all thought, emotional or otherwise, he did not wish to think. When he thought his mind would fill of memories of Sirius Black. Though all he wanted to do was remember the good memories of his godfather he found that the only memory left to him was that of his death, and the thought that he had inadvertently caused it.

Harry balled his hands into fists as tears threatened to fall from his moist eyes. He had allowed Voldemort to manipulate him, to make him believe things that weren't real. Yes, Harry could lay the blame on Voldemort or even Bellatrix Lestrange, who had literally killed him, but only he was responsible. If only he had used his clouded brain and thought about the situation, he never would have gone to the Ministry that night, and Sirius would still be alive today. But he had acted rashly and nearly got his friends and himself killed in the process.

Harry's eyes became stone cold with anger; it was all because of Voldemort. The man that had killed his parents nearly sixteen years ago, the man that had tried to kill him on that same night, and the man that had used him to gain access to the prophecy that had smashed unheard in the same room where his godfather had died. Harry closed his eyes and bit down tightly on his lip to keep himself from crying again. The prophecy, it still reverberated loudly in Harry's mind. '_Either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives'_. Dumbledore had shown him it, that same night of Sirius' death, and now Harry wished that he had not. All he ever wanted was to be normal, at least as normal as one could get being a Wizard.

Why did he, of all the Wizards in the world, have to be the one destined to kill Lord Voldemort? Or rather die trying as it seemed to Harry that it was more likely to be. But then did he really want to hold stock in a prophecy made by Sybil Trelawney? Dumbledore certainly believed it and so did Voldemort.

Fear and panic gripped at him again as the lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead lurched slightly with fresh pain. He knew Voldemort was pressing in on his mind, through the link they shared and Harry was powerless to do anything about it. Harry was almost certain that the Dark Lord could not read his thoughts, but it still frightened Harry that he could feel Voldemort's emotions, which probably meant that Voldemort could feel his. The bond they shared was frighteningly intriguing to Harry, but it was also scary as hell.

Harry was used to the prickling sensation, but the fear that came with it was new to him. He knew that he was safe there with his aunt in Privet Drive. But that knowledge brought him little comfort. He also knew that somewhere out there, the most powerful of dark Wizards was gaining more power daily. He knew that Voldemort was waiting for the moment when Harry Potter was left unprotected and then he would make his move to kill him. What frightened Harry the most was not dying, but that he knew that he had no where near the power to destroy Voldemort and that he would die in his attempt, leaving no one to stop the Dark Lord from taking over the Wizarding World and killing not only the Muggles but his friends as well. Somehow, though he didn't know how, he knew that when Voldemort killed him he would gain Harry's power and would gain back the part of him that Voldemort had inadvertently given Harry the night that he had first tried to kill him. Harry wondered slightly if the reverse would also be true. If out of some sheer dumb luck he managed to actually kill Voldemort and live through it, would he gain all of Voldemort's powers or would the Dark Lord just simply cease to exist?

Harry so consumed in thought had not heard the door to the kitchen open and his aunt enter the room. "Potter, what are you doing down here?" his aunt Petunia asked, her words monotone and devoid of emotion. Harry flinched as she flicked on the bright overhead light and headed towards the cabinets. "Vernon's going to be down shortly, I suggest that you go back up to your room," she said pursing her lips making her look like she had tasted something sour.

Harry looked up to the kitchen windows. He must have been sitting there for quite a while because the sun was slowly creeping into the sky. Without looking at his aunt he pushed himself away from the table and stood up to leave, he was just near the door when Uncle Vernon came into the kitchen. He barely looked at Petunia before turning on Harry.

"Boy, one wrong move on your part while Marge is here and you'll wish you'd never been born," Vernon spat at him harshly. This was about as much words as Harry had gotten from his Uncle since he had returned from Hogwarts.

Harry looked up into his uncles eyes unflinchingly. "I already wish I'd never been born," he whispered coldly to his uncle and then left the kitchen, ignoring the look of disgust on his uncle's face. Harry had no intention of even being anywhere near Aunt Marge or the rest of the family while she was there. He walked back up the stairs and gathered a towel from his room so he could take a shower before his cousin Dudley got up demanding all the hot water.

After his shower, Harry took a good look through his glasses at himself in the mirror. His friends were going to die if he did not stop Lord Voldemort, and the pale skinny boy that looked back at him had no chance of it. It amazed him that only in a few short weeks he had managed to make himself this bad looking. Harry smirked as he combed through his lengthening black hair with his fingers, it was still as unruly as ever, but what was he to do about it?

Harry traced his finger over the ever-stinging scar on his forehead. The scar that marked Harry as Voldemort's equal, though Harry felt far less then the Dark Lord's equal. How could he possibly be his equal, when Harry was just a boy, and now a weak skinny boy at that? Harry turned away in disgust, from the mirror that seemed to be mocking him.

A/N: I hope you enjoy the story so far.


	2. Found

_Harry gets a visitor and a gift. And someone else arrives that he never thought he'd see or ever want in his bedroom._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Two – Found

It was while Harry was getting dressed for the day that something occurred that gave Harry the tool he needed to pull himself out of the hole that he had dug himself into. He was just pulling on one of Dudley's old over sized sweatshirts when a bird appeared in his room. This was not just any ordinary bird; but Fawkes, the headmaster of Hogwarts, Professor Dumbledore's, phoenix.

The red and gold-feathered phoenix was perched on Harry's bed and it had a letter in its golden beak. Harry walked slowly over to the beautiful bird and sat down beside him. "Hello Fawkes, another letter from Dumbledore?" Harry asked already knowing the answer. Fawkes had delivered several letters to Harry already that summer, from his Headmaster, 'checking up on him'. Harry took the letter from the crimson colored bird and opened it. He skimmed down the letter, nothing of importance, just another letter inquiring after how he was doing. Harry took out a fresh parchment and his quill and wrote as he normally did two words in perfect scrawl, 'I'm Fine.'

What Harry really wanted to do was show Dumbledore exactly how fine he really was. He wanted to yell at the old man for giving him all the information that he had been hiding from Harry all his life, and then leaving him alone to deal with it. Not that his friends could help him much, but it would have been nice to not be alone in this, he felt lost and all he wanted to do was give up and let life pass him by.

Harry handed the letter to the waiting Fawkes. The phoenix took it and then dropped it on his bed and looked up at Harry as if to say 'that's not good enough'. Harry frowned tiredly and picked up the letter and handed it back to the bird. "It's going to have to be good enough," he told him.

Fawkes grabbed the letter with his beak again but this time the letter burst into flames and then turned to ashes on his bed. Harry quickly smothered out the lingering flames, nearly singing his hands, and then held up his blanket, that now had a large burn hole in it. He gaped through the hole at the phoenix, not knowing what to make of the bird; he'd never acted like this before. Harry put the scorched blanket down.

The phoenix hopped onto his leg and looked up into Harry's green eyes, a beautiful song filled Harry's ears and he relaxed instantly. All the feelings of lost, hopelessness disappeared from Harry's mind. It was as if the bird was telling him not to give up. He looked down at the bird as the phoenix song ended. "I understand, Fawkes, but how can I ever possibly become strong enough to defeat him? He's so much more powerful then I am."

Fawkes flapped his wings and lifted himself into the air. There was a brief flash of flame and a large book landed heavily in Harry's lap. The Phoenix landed again on Harry's bed. Harry picked up the book curiously; it was a very old book without a title or an author. He opened the book cautiously and started to skim down the first hand written page. Harry's eyes widened with realization, it was a diary, but not just any diary, Merlin's Diary.

Harry shot his head back up to the phoenix, with amazement in his eyes. "This can't be. I specifically remember reading that Merlin's Diaries, though recorded that they existed, had never been found. It's openly taught in History of Magic class. How did you get this?" _I'm talking bloody to a bird_, Harry thought, but Fawkes stared back at Harry and it seemed to him that the phoenix had a smug look in his face. The bird nipped at the book as if to say 'read it' and then disappeared with a flash of flame.

Harry did just that, over the next day and night, he left his room only a few times to use the facilities and to grab a small meal here and there when no one was in the house. Mostly he ate just bread and water and the occasional peanut butter with the bread, but at least he was eating something compared to the nothing that he had taken to within the last couple of weeks. He couldn't believe his luck. How had Dumbledore found the diaries? And how come he hadn't sent a letter explaining with Fawkes? Maybe he wanted him to read the first book before he revealed all?

Harry was just on the last page of the very insightful diary, that was opening his mind to difficult, but powerful magic that he had never heard of, nor dreamed about in his life, when Fawkes reappeared and another book was left on his bed, very similar to the one that he had just finished. This time the phoenix did not stay long and disappeared, being satisfied that Harry was doing what he wanted. Again Harry's mind wandered to thoughts of why Dumbledore hadn't explained why he wanted Harry to know Merlin's Magic. Well that was obvious, it would help him against Voldemort.

After halfway through the second diary Harry started to eat better and started taking walks in the morning just after the sun had risen. Merlin had explained in the diary, in great depth, that one had to be physically well and fit to use most of the magic that he was reading about, for most of the magic could be draining. The diary had described techniques and exercises that would allow one the ability to swiftly gain strength and speed and would help sharpen the mine. Harry was sure that most of this was already put into practice in Auror training. He found himself wondering briefly one night, if he had gained enough O.W.L.'s to allow himself access to that N.E.W.T. He doubted it, he was sure potions would keep him out. Besides, did he really want to become an Auror now that he knew his destiny? He wasn't so sure, but he hadn't considered any other career.

A week and a half later, Harry having started keeping normal hours, sleeping at night and awaking in the mornings for his now daily run around Privet Drive was looking almost normal for a near sixteen-year-old boy. He had, though it had been slow going, started eating real food a week ago and he was no longer dangerously thin. He had even started to build some muscle with the training he had been putting himself through. He found that though he still grieved for his godfather, he no longer woke in the middle of the night from the regular nightmares, and the physical training helped to keep his mind off unpleasant thoughts. The fear that had plagued him since returning to the Dursley's had all but left him and he was feeling better for it. It helped that he had learned how to push the Dark Lord from his mind for brief amounts of time.

The useful training that he learned in the diaries consisted of a morning run and pushups, sit-ups and other strength building exercises, and then after a healthy breakfast a form of physical meditation, that though he found awkward at first helped to strengthen, not just his mind but muscles, Harry didn't know he had. After the meditation, Harry would read, not just the diaries but also his schoolbooks. He found that he absorbed quickly anything in writing that he put his eyes to and that he remembered every detail. At first, it was unnerving but then it was remarkably helpful. He did not know if it was some sort of magic allowing him to do this or if the meditation exercises were just making him smarter. Harry had read in one of Merlin's books about another Wizard Merlin had met during his travels, that seemed to have the same ability, and though he had tried to learn from the Wizard how he was able to do this, he had never been able to absorb written words as Harry found that he now could.

Harry had just finished reading another one of Merlin's Diaries and was expecting Fawkes to appear with another when he heard the sound of people coming up the stairs. The one person he had most loathed to see and hadn't, since her arrival, was the first person he heard.

"Does the boy even still exist, you keep telling me that he is here Vernon, but I have yet to see even one unruly hair on his head. Not that I care for the ungrateful boy, but what will your neighbors think when they see him. He must be skin and bones if what you say is true about his eating habits. And you tell me that he goes out of the house for long periods of time. What if the police see him Vernon?" Aunt Marge's wail of a voice sounded down the hall and then there was Vernon Dursley's ruff knock at his bedroom door.

Harry scuffled to hide the pile of books he had strewn across his bed and he had just managed to get the last book into his trunk when his door burst open and his uncle came into the room, looking thoroughly annoyed.

"Potter…" Uncle Vernon looked over Harry with an eye of uncertainty for a moment. Harry was wearing a tight navy blue t-shirt and jeans, which clearly showed Vernon that he was not wasting away, but looked much different then the last time he had laid eyes on Harry.

"Oh Vernon, you must have been exaggerating, he is clearly well, he looks as fit as a fiddle," Aunt Marge appraised Harry as if he were one of her dogs. "Though his hair is still horrid and he clearly is in need of proper grooming, but with the looks he gets from his parents, he probably will never look properly groomed."

Harry had had enough, her voice alone would have been enough to give even Lord Voldemort a migraine. Harry had just started to learn to keep his emotions in check, but he was seriously considering showing the woman exactly what he had inherited from his parents. The only thing that kept him from reaching for his wand was the thought of having to go to another hearing at the Ministry for using magic underage. Instead Harry walked up to her with hatred in his eyes. "Get out of my room before I have the thought to give you something to really complain about me."

Vernon's face turned the reddest color Harry had ever seen on him and he was sure that his uncle was about to explode at him and Harry tightened his muscles and flinched away, waiting for his uncle's attack, but something made his uncle back down and fear sweep into his eyes. Harry turned quickly around afraid that Fawkes had taken that moment to appear in his room with another book, but found himself face to face with a tall figure in a long black cloak with the hood up over his head.

Harry stepped back as he was gripped with fear, for a moment thinking that Voldemort had somehow found a way passed the wards that protected him, but as the figure removed his hood, Harry's fear turned into hatred. There was one person he loathed more than or nearly just as much as Voldemort, and he was now standing feet from him in his bedroom. "Snape…" Harry sneered.

"Professor," the greasy haired potion's master reminded Harry coldly. "I have come to take you to Grimmauld Place," Professor Snape said then lifted his wand in his hand. "Obliviate," Snape muttered as he pointed his wand at Aunt Marge. He looked to the woman and said flatly. "Go down stairs to the kitchen, you never saw this and Harry's been away at school the entire time you've been here."

"Now wait just a minute," Uncle Vernon reacted to this as he normally would, but Aunt Marge was already on her way down the stairs. "What have you done to her?" Vernon raged, his face growing increasingly redder.

"A simple memory charm, Mr. Dursley, she was not harmed in anyway. I suggest that if you don't want me to do the same to you that you not hinder me taking Mr. Potter, unless you want me to leave him here," Snape said monotonously, but it provoked the reaction he had desired.

Vernon's face went from flaming mad to pale as a sheet and then back to slightly red again in a matter of seconds, "Take the boy and get out of my house… But don't let the neighbors see you." Vernon added just before slamming Harry's door shut behind him as he left.

Harry fidgeted for several moments and he flinched from the string of curses he could still hear from his uncle through the closed door. Harry was uncomfortable enough with having Snape in his bedroom, he really didn't need the git knowing what his home life was like as well. "You're here to take me to Grimmauld Place?" Harry asked to cover the noise that still came from the floor below them.

"Ever the observant one, aren't you Mr. Potter? Yes, now hurry up and pack your belongings, Professor Dumbledore is expecting us back."

A/N: Well that was chapter two.


	3. Hate

_Harry returns to the home of his Godfather and receives news that shoves Harry back into the pit that he had just managed to climb out of._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Three- Hate

Though he barely trusted Snape with the life of a mouse, Harry had reluctantly touched his finger to the mug shaped portkey that Snape held out to him. After the familiar tug from behind his navel he found himself standing in the empty kitchen of number twelve Grimmauld place. Harry took no notice that he hadn't even stumbled after using the portkey as he was now gaping at the room around him in absolute horror.

It wasn't anything like Harry remembered. It was practically sparkling clean. Though the walls were still stone, they had been painted a sunny yellow color and the table in the center of the room had a matching tablecloth draped over it. The room felt almost homey and Harry was furious with the change. He didn't much like the dungeon style that the kitchen held before, but he felt that it somehow made Sirius' home less his.

Harry swung around to be face to face with his loathed potion's professor. "What have they done to…?" Harry started to ask with anger raising his voice slightly.

Snape gave a near visible shudder. "I dislike it too, but Molly wouldn't be dissuaded," he hissed. Almost as immediately as Snape lost his composure he regained it and he seemed reminded who he was in front of. "Sit down Mr. Potter. Professor Dumbledore will be in momentarily."

Harry didn't even glance at the nearest chair before Snape disappeared out of the kitchen. He paced the room a few times, trying to get over the change of it. He was definitely going to have a talk with Mrs. Weasley about this and he shuttered at the thought of what the rest of the house must look like. Sorrow swelled into his heart as he remembered how gloomy Sirius was here, and though he probably would have liked the changes when he was still alive, Harry thought that it took away from the memory of him.

Harry winced as he struck his toe on his trunk and startled Hedwig in her cage, he had forgotten that Snape had left them there moments before and now questions arose in Harry's mind while he took off his shoe and rubbed his foot. Why had only Snape come to collect him at Privet Drive, further more, why Snape, why not Lupin, Moody, or Tonks? And why so early and without any word, had something happened with Voldemort that Harry didn't know about? And how could that be? Harry was certain that he would know if Voldemort was up to something, if anything Harry's mind link with Voldemort had grown stronger over the summer.

The door to the kitchen opened just as Harry was slipping his worn cross trainer back on, and Dumbledore, followed shortly after by Snape and Mr. Weasley, came in and sat down at the table. They all looked extremely tired, even Snape, and it was a wonder Harry hadn't noticed before.

"What happened?" Harry asked before any of them had a chance to speak. He didn't need the look in their eyes to tell him that something terrible had happened.

"Please have a seat, Harry," Dumbledore said softly. There was no twinkle in his blue eyes behind his half moon spectacles, and Harry knew that this was serious.

Harry didn't sit. "Just tell me."

Dumbledore stood from his chair. "The Burrow was attacked this morning by Death Eaters."

Harry could feel the color drain from his face at hearing this news. "Was anyone hurt?" he asked with a slight shake in his voice.

"None of the Weasley family was injured; they have been staying here for this very reason. But Remus was injured quite seriously," Dumbledore sighed the last words.

"How seriously," Harry asked, "is he going to die?" he whispered the last words.

Dumbledore walked towards Harry. "We don't know yet."

"Take me to him," Harry said looking up into the eyes of his Headmaster.

"Unfortunately this is not possible, Harry. He's being held at St. Mungo's; it would not be safe for you to be seen there. Not with 'You Know Who' having Death Eaters everywhere," Mr. Weasley said from where he sat at the table.

"Why the hell did you bring me here then, if you won't even let me see him? Why not leave me at Privet Drive unaware. Did you think I'd be better off with this information? I'm just coming to terms with Sirius' death and the… WHY CAN'T YOU JUST STOP MUDDLING IN MY LIFE!" Harry shouted at Dumbledore and unbeknownst to Harry the air around him became electrically charged. It disgusted Harry that yelling at Dumbledore seemed to make him feel better. Hedwig hooted at Harry, irritated when he kicked his trunk hard with his foot, this time on purpose. At the moment, he would rather feel physical pain then the emotional pain, and the hatred, which was bubbling slowly to the surface. He knew that all these feelings weren't his and he was afraid at where some of the emotions was coming from; Voldemort.

Harry started to tremble and he closed his eyes from the ever-increasing pain that started to pulse through him from his scar. "Get out!" Harry hissed in Parseltongue. Shakily he started to take in deep breaths, remembering his training from the diaries; he cleared his mind of all conscious thought and raised a barrier like ice in his mind. He refused to allow Voldemort access to his mind again and he would not tolerate feeling Voldemort's emotions anymore, his were enough. Harry felt Voldemort hit the magical barrier in his mind forcefully and Harry reacted now on instinct, pushing the barrier of frozen stone forward and repelling Voldemort from his mind with all his will.

Harry opened his eyes after the tremors in his body stopped and the pain in his scar ebbed away. He was surprised to find that he was still standing. Harry had done this several times in the last week, after he read about how to use this advanced form, of what he assumed was Occlumency, in the diaries, and he found that it took him a great amount of energy to expel the Dark Lord from his mind. He had never stayed on his feet for more then a few minutes doing it. Voldemort was always back within his mind within seconds, but this time was different, he couldn't feel the mind link anymore. Instead of feeling drained of energy he felt powerful, and this scared him, he somehow knew that it wasn't his power and it was gone moments afterwards, the feeling of the link was still not present.

Harry looked to Dumbledore in confusion. He was now standing several feet from where he had been. Snape and Mr. Weasley were both standing and staring at him warily as well. It was then that Harry collapsed to his knees and started sobbing, all the emotions that he'd been trying to hide and ignore for the past weeks catching up with him. He didn't know what caused him to just breakdown, but he was disgusted with himself for doing so.

Through Harry's blurred, teary-eyed vision, he saw a figure move quickly towards him and then he felt the arms of Mrs. Weasley wrap around him protectively. "There, there my dear, it'll all be alright, Remus will be fine, I'm sure," she cooed in her mothering way. "Did you have to tell him like this? You could have waited until Tonks got back with news on his condition," Mrs. Weasley snapped at the men in front of her.

Harry stopped crying almost immediately and caught a good look at the room around him. Paint peeled from the walls and ceiling and the tablecloth on the table was smoldering. There were scorch marks on the stone where the paint had been melted away and Harry knew that he had done all that damage, though he wasn't aware of doing it.

Harry looked back up to Dumbledore, "I-I'm s-sorry," Harry apologized with a tremble in his voice.

Dumbledore took a step towards Harry and Mrs. Weasley let Harry go. "That was a very high level of magic Harry, where did you learn it?" he asked with seriousness in his eyes and his tone of voice.

Harry knew exactly where he had learnt it, from Merlin's diaries; he also knew exactly what spell it had to have been and that it was a wordless spell and performed wandless, it was also very difficult and draining. Harry didn't understand how he had used it or why, for he had never attempted to use it before. "I learned it from the books you sent me…"

"Books, Harry?"

It suddenly occurred to Harry that Dumbledore hadn't been the one to send Fawkes with the diaries and something in his mind told him that this was one secret that he should keep from Dumbledore. "I read it in one of my school books, I think; or it could have been in the library," Harry lied in a way he thought was unconvincingly, he'd never really ever out right lied to Dumbledore before. But if Fawkes had not given Dumbledore the diaries then the books were meant for him, at least that was Harry's logic for now; he'd think more on it later.

Though he saw it in his headmaster's eyes that he didn't like this answer, or believe it, he seemed to accept it, for now. "I shall have Madam Pince look for the book you found that in, magic like that should not be learned by school children, it can be very dangerous. It is considered Dark Magic and is very hard to control. Promise me that you will not use it again."

Harry was about to protest this but stopped himself. There wasn't anything in Merlin's diaries that Harry considered Dark Magic, powerful magic yes, but not dark. He looked away from Dumbledore, who looked as if he was going to start questioning Harry, but he didn't wish to be questioned about anything and he wouldn't promise not to use the magic again. "I'm tired, Professor, if your not going to let me see Remus," Harry used Lupin's first name because technically the man was no longer his professor and he didn't know what else to call him. "I'd like to go lay down for a while."

"Certainly dear, let me help you bring your things up stairs," Mrs. Weasley said ignoring the looks the men before her were giving her. "You certainly look like you need the rest; you're looking a little pail this afternoon," she commented as she pointed her wand at Harry's trunk and it started to levitate up off the floor. Harry knew that the comment wasn't for his ears but for the others in the room. Harry picked up Hedwig's cage and his bag beside him and started to follow Mrs. Weasley out of the room, not looking at Dumbledore as he passed him.

"Get some rest Harry, we'll talk later, and I'll let Molly know as soon as I hear word about Remus." Harry didn't look back at Dumbledore as he followed Mrs. Weasley and his trunk out of the room, grateful that Mrs. Weasley cared enough for Harry's wishes, as no one else was seeming to.

A/N: The diaries didn't come from Dumbledore, but who then?


	4. Lies

_Dumbledore comes for some answers and Snape tests Harry's Occlumency with near disastrous consequences._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Four- Lies

Harry had not been wrong about the change to the rest of the house and he found himself repulsed by it. He liked color, but this was too much. The only thing that seemed to have remained the same and now looked very out of place in the well-lit sky blue hallway was the covered portrait of Mrs. Black. Mrs. Weasley had explained as soon as they had reached the room that Ron and Harry shared, that the permanent sticking charm was still, just that, permanent.

Harry had spent the first day back glumly sitting in his room ignoring any attempts Ron had at starting a conversation. He was in no mood to talk to anyone even his best friend. Thankfully the only thing that seemed to have changed in their room was that the walls were now covered by many orange posters of the Chudley Cannons, Ron's favorite Quidditch team, that hadn't won the league in either of their life times.

Harry was sitting on the floor in a far dim corner of the Black family's extensive dark library, with one of Merlin's books in his lap and a small candle at his side. It was just after dinner, where Harry had eaten very little and talked even less. He had disappeared into the second floor library with the hopes of not having to talk to anyone. It seemed that everyone wanted to talk to him, but no one really had anything to say, at least anything that Harry felt was important enough to listen too. Harry was angry and sad and worried about Lupin. No one had told him exactly what had happened at the Burrow, which made his mind wander with all the terrible possibilities. It seemed that whenever he brought up the question, everyone would find a way to change the subject, even Ron and Ginny, which was rather disconcerting.

Harry was rereading about the Occlumency type magic when he looked up startled by the click of the door. Harry immediately closed his book and hid it from view. "What do you want?" Harry asked coldly without looking at the person coming into the room, and then winced at the tone of his voice and instantly regretted it when he saw the hurt look on Ginny Weasley's face. Harry stood up from the floor. "I'm sorry Ginny," he said looking to the floor.

Ginny half smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "It's alright; I know what it's like to want to get away from everyone. I just thought I'd let you know that Professor Dumbledore is looking for you. He's got Ron searching every room," Ginny said turning to leave. "I'll tell him you're in here."

Harry breathed in deeply and then turned to pick up his book; he knew that he'd have to explain sooner or later what had happened earlier. He was certain that they didn't know that he was projecting Voldemort's emotions as well as his own. He quickly found a place for the diary on one of the shelves and he was relieved to see that it looked like it belonged there. Harry set his candle on a small table and turned around at the click of the door again. He eyed Dumbledore as he came into the room, followed shortly after by a scowling Snape. Why was it that no one ever knocked, the door was closed for a reason. That was the one thing about Privet Drive that he liked, they always knocked, even if a bit rudely. Harry always thought it common courtesy.

"Hello Harry," Dumbledore said as he sat down in one of the chairs by the fireplace, Snape remained standing.

"Professor," Harry acknowledged him, not Snape. He too remained standing.

The twinkle that was normally always present in Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have momentarily been extinguished as he surveyed Harry. After several minutes of looking at each other Dumbledore stood from the chair and walked towards Harry. "Harry I need you to tell me, what happened this after noon. You were speaking Parseltongue before you used that magic."

Harry breathed out heavily. "I was telling Voldemort to get out of my mind, I was feeling his emotions. Honestly, Professor, I didn't know that I had used that spell until after I'd used it. I was in the middle of expelling Voldemort from my mind. I'm not going to get in trouble for it, am I? I really don't remember doing any magic," the words tumbled out of Harry's mouth so quick that Harry had to recall what he'd said to make sure he hadn't said anything about Merlin's Diaries.

"The Ministry has more problems right now then to monitor whose using magic underage," Snape sneered. "You expelled Lord Voldemort from your mind? Using Occlumency?" Snape asked callously.

Harry thought about this for a moment, technically it was not Occlumency but Dumbledore and Snape had no way of knowing what type of magic Harry was using, so another lie would do. "Yes."

"I would like to have Professor Snape test your Occlumency Harry," Dumbledore watched Harry very closely, too closely, for his reaction.

Harry opened his mouth to ask 'why,' but immediately closed it. He looked at Snape for a moment, hatred building in his eyes. Harry's mind had been weakened so much by Snape's, so called, Occlumency lessons that Voldemort was able to give Harry a false vision, which ultimately ended in the death of Sirius Black. Harry could now block Voldemort from his mind. Shouldn't he easily be able to block Snape the same way? Harry had to admit to himself that expelling Voldemort from his mind tired him greatly. But it was different with Snape, they didn't share the link Voldemort and Harry had.

Harry looked from Dumbledore to Snape. "Fine," he said. "If you think it's necessary." Harry looked around the room and thought of how devastated Hermione would be if anything happened to all the books. He had used magic unconsciously when expelling Voldemort and he didn't want to have that happen there. In truth, Harry himself would be the slightest bit annoyed. He found that with his new ability to absorb anything that he read, he rather found books to be quite enjoyable. "Not here though," Harry said flatly. _Merlin's Diary could get destroyed_, he thought and then said, "in the kitchen." Harry left the room before either of the Professor's could object.

When he entered into the kitchen a few moments later it was to find Ron, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley sitting around the table in the center of it. Harry noted that the tablecloth had been fixed and the walls and ceiling had been repainted as well, it must have just been done, for it wasn't that way at dinner. "Umm…"

"Harry, how are you doing dear, you hardly ate anything at dinner, would you like me to get you something?" Mrs. Weasley automatically started her coddling of him as soon as he entered through the door.

Under normal circumstances he would have appreciated it but not now. "No it's alright Mrs. Weasley, I'm fine," Harry used the words that he used in so many of his letters. Snape appeared in the doorway followed by Dumbledore. "Professor Dumbledore wants Snape to test my Occlumency. I'd like to use this room."

"Professor," Snape hissed.

"Snape?" blurted Ron.

"Professor," Snape hissed again with more venom.

"It's fine Ron. Umm… could you all leave for a few minutes?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore and Snape moved from the doorway as the Weasley's left the room rather reluctantly.

Harry moved to the other side of the room and started moving chairs away from the table; he was going to make this as painless as possible on himself. If he collapsed he didn't want to hit anything on the way down. He'd hit the corner of his bed one time and he still had the bump on the back of his head to remind him.

Snape took Harry's cue and helped him move the table to the side of the room with the flick of his wand. After the kitchen was clear Harry walked up to Snape. "Ready?" Snape asked with a smirk.

"Yes, but fare warning, anything that happens to you is not my fault," Harry didn't know why but he felt that he had to warn the Potions Master, not that Harry cared if anything happened to him, but he didn't want to be held responsible for it. After all, he'd never put into practice Merlin's Magic against anyone standing right in front of him.

"Right Potter," Snape sneered with a smirk on his face, "_Legilimens_."

Harry felt the familiar disturbing, pressure of Snape's mind trying to get into his and images, Harry's memories started flashing through his mind. _Him, as a small child, watching Dudley open presents on Christmas morning, where he had none. Uncle Vernon, rounding on him in a rage, after he had accidentally displayed some of his 'Freakishness,' in front of them when he was eight. Harry, holding his wand out in front of him as he stood above Dudley and watched his patronus as it chased away the Dementor sent by Umbridge. Harry watching in horror as Sirius fell through the veil at the Department of Mysteries_… Harry couldn't take it anymore. He didn't want to see this again. He didn't want Snape to see this.

Harry cleared his mind, with determination, of all of his thoughts as he concentrated in the way the diary had described and threw up his wall of icy stone. He breathed in deeply as blackness filled his vision and his mind. Thinking he had done it, that he had succeeded in expelling Snape from his mind, Harry opened his eyes to nothingness; there was no kitchen, no colors, and no light.

At first, Harry thought that he was alone in the blackness, but then he looked down in front of him. He could clearly see Snape on his knees and doubled over. Harry looked up suddenly to another presence coming forward in the darkness and Harry's blood ran like ice. And he took several steps back only to come in contact with an invisible barrier.

"_How did you get in here_?" The black robed man that walked towards him hissed in Parseltongue.

Harry grabbed for his wand, but it wasn't there. "Voldemort," it was then that Harry realized that they weren't at anyplace but still in his mind. Voldemort was physically in his mind. "_No_," Harry also spoke in Parseltongue, though he didn't know why. "_This is my mind. Get out!_" Harry shouted with a quiver in his voice as he fruitlessly tried to back away from the approaching Dark Lord.

A sharp cold laugh rang out through the air. "Stupid boy," Voldemort spoke in English. "It seems that you have drawn us into your mind, and Severus too, how unfortunate for him. Looks like I'll be able to kill you without even lifting a finger, _Crucio_."

Harry tried to run but there was nowhere to go, the blast hit him straight in the back and he collapsed in agony. Harry clenched his teeth to keep from screaming and then the pain was gone as the curse was lifted, but all his muscles twitched with after shocks. He slowly pushed himself up onto his knees and saw that Snape was obviously feeling everything that Harry was, but Snape remained collapsed.

Harry looked up at Voldemort who was now standing directly above him with a cold smile on his face. "I don't know how you've been pushing me from your mind, boy, but you're going to pay dearly for causing me pain. _Crucio_," Harry wreathed in agony again.

The curse was lifted again and Harry with difficulty pushed himself up again. There was no way that Voldemort was going to kill him because Harry had somehow opened his mind to the Dark Lord. Remembering all he had read, Harry concentrated all his energy, magical and physical on blocking Voldemort out.

"_Avada Kedavra_," Harry heard Voldemort's voice just as the blackness in his mind became white. Harry distinctly heard the faint trill of phoenix song and then with a physical bang Harry found himself on his back on the floor of the kitchen at Grimmauld Place. He was sweating profusely, breathing heavily, and shaking with pain, but he was alive.

Harry pushed himself up to a sitting position with trouble, as his limbs just didn't want to cooperate. The kitchen door burst open and the Weasley's ran in. Harry looked blurry eyed to where Snape was at the other side of the kitchen, Dumbledore was kneeling over him and he was curled in a ball against the wall, he had been in the middle of the room.

"Harry," Ron and Ginny ran to him. "Are you alright, what happened? We heard you scream," Ron asked as they knelt down beside him. Ron handed him his glass, which must have fallen off his face, and Harry put them on.

Mrs. Weasley helped Snape to a sitting position, who shot daggers at Harry with his eyes. "Yes, do tell Potter, what happened?" Snape sneered with a scratchy voice.

"It wasn't my fault. I didn't know that he could get into my mind like that. It's never happened before," Harry clenched his teeth together to keep them from chattering, he was freezing, but he didn't want anyone to know.

"You drew him in, it's the only way he could have," Snape sneered.

Harry shook with anger at Snape's words and stood up suddenly, pushing Ron and Ginny away as he did. "I did not draw him in; I-I don't even k-know how to do..." Harry's voice quivered and spots danced in his eyes. He went to take a step forward but it was as if all energy had been taken from his body and his legs could no longer support him. He collapsed just as the room started to blur in front of him.

Ron caught Harry as he fell. "Harry, are you alright? What's wrong?" he helped him to a chair.

"I- I think I was hit with the K-killing Curse," Harry said weakly and closed his eyes as the room was spinning and he could feel his arms and legs going numb. Was he dying? Harry wondered. Could the Killing Curse kill him without physically hitting him? He opened his eyes to see Dumbledore in front of him with his wand out.

"Molly get Poppy quickly please, you'll find her in Hogsmeade at the Apothecary's." Dumbledore said calmly as he ran his wand over Harry who had closed his eyes again as he was now feeling a considerable amount of pain in his left shoulder. He didn't hear Mrs. Weasley disapparate out of the room but he did hear two people Apparate back in moments later.

Panic gripped at Harry as he saw Madam Pomfrey take over for Dumbledore. He really was dying wasn't he, Voldemort had finally killed him and he indeed didn't even have to lift a finger to do it. Harry heard Madam Pomfrey cluck something and then shove a vile into his hand. "Drink it," she said, but to Harry she sounded miles away. Harry looked at her for a moment as if she had two heads, but then again to him she did, and then drank the contents of the vile in one gulp.

Harry felt a shudder run through him and then he instantly felt better, not the best he had ever felt but better. "W-what was that?" Harry asked almost instantly, he could see that Snape had a smirk on his face, as if he was laughing at him.

"Anti-venom, you must have been bitten by a spider sometime within the last couple of hours; I suggest that you watch where you sit, especially in this house. It may look well cleaned but I wager there are still quite a few nasty critters crawling around in here," Madam Pomfrey said and then bid everyone farewell and then disapparated out of the room.

As soon as Madam Pomfrey was gone Dumbledore pulled up a chair beside Harry. "You said you thought that you had been hit with the Killing Curse Harry. Why?" he asked as he sat down.

"That's because he nearly was," Snape sneered. "We both could have been killed by your stupidity, Potter."

"I already told you, I didn't know Voldemort could get into my mind like that. I've only ever been able to feel his emotions," Harry said looking at the floor; he couldn't bear to look at Snape anymore. He knew that what ever had happened was his fault, everything was always his fault, but did Snape have to remind him of that.

"Lord Voldemort was in your mind, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, I was trying to block Snape out like I do Voldemort but instead it must have somehow drawn us all into my mind. If I hadn't blocked him out when I did Voldemort would have killed both of us through me," Harry explained with clenched teeth, not looking at his headmaster's eyes.

"I think that it is best that you children be off to bed, it is getting rather late and we have had a long day." Dumbledore stood and walked to the kitchen door. "Severus could you join me in the drawing room, I would like to have a word." Dumbledore left the kitchen without looking back, Snape followed, after reluctantly being helped up by Mrs. Weasley.

Harry stayed where he was for a moment, he didn't even know if he was angry or confused, or both. Voldemort had somehow gotten drawn into his mind tonight and Dumbledore didn't even look worried and now instead of talking to him he was talking to Snape. Harry stood up and walked to the kitchen door just as the others had started leaving the room. It occurred to Harry in a second that the look on Dumbledore's face was anger. Was he angry at him? Or was it Snape? Harry thought a moment; Dumbledore hadn't even corrected him about saying Snape instead of Professor Snape, neither had Snape for that matter.

"Very good dears, you go get your rest, I promise that I'll come and get you as soon as we hear news on Remus," Mrs. Weasley said as they left the kitchen.

Harry followed Ron and Ginny up the stairs but stopped on the first floor landing. Ron stopped as he realized Harry wasn't following him upstairs.

"Umm Harry, our rooms are up one more floor, remember?" Ron said when he turned around.

"Go on, I'll be up in a minute, I forgot something in the library," it wasn't a lie, Harry did have to get his book, but that's not why he had stopped on that floor. Ron shrugged and went up stairs. Harry followed Ginny down the hall but left her at her rooms. He quickly went into the library at the end of the hall and grabbed Merlin's Diary and as soon as he saw that the hall was clear, Harry made his way to the drawing room. He stopped outside the door and put his ear to it to listen. Dumbledore and Snape were definitely in there, he could hear their words very clearly.

A/N: Who's Dumbledore so angry at, Snape or Harry?


	5. Fear

_After finding out some of what Voldemort's been up too, Harry sneaks a chance at continuing his physical training, but there are consequences, and more lies are told. _

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Five – Fear

It was four in the morning and Harry was lying in bed staring at the ceiling in the dark. Ron was asleep in the next bed and thoughts kept running through Harry's mind. He had listened at the door for nearly twenty minutes before he heard Mrs. Weasley walking up the stairs and had to abandon his position. Dumbledore was definitely angry at Harry, and if it were true, it would have been with good reason. Three times Dumbledore had said that Harry was using Dark Magic and three times Harry had wanted to enter into the room to prove him wrong, but he hadn't. If Dumbledore didn't have the confidence and trust in Harry to know the difference between Dark Magic and powerful magic then Harry wasn't going to trust Dumbledore not to take away the diaries once he revealed them. So he wouldn't reveal them and he would learn as much from them as he could while he still had them. He wasn't going to let Dumbledore stand between him and the only power he had to defeat Voldemort.

It was going to get difficult to conceal the diaries, it had been easy on Privet Drive; no one there cared what he was doing as long as it didn't disrupt their lives and as long as the neighbors couldn't see. Harry had already learned much from the diaries, and as soon as he was back at Hogwarts he was going to use the Room of Requirement to put into practice all he had learned. Though he was still nowhere near as powerful as Voldemort, he was certain that the knowledge that he gained from Merlin's Diaries was going to give him, at least, a fighting chance.

Harry was stewing over the fact that Dumbledore didn't trust him when he heard quick-paced footsteps in the hallway and on the stairs. Harry jumped from his bed, still in his jeans and t-shirt because he had not bothered to change. He left the room quietly and made his way to the stairs. He was halfway down them and into the entrance hall when he stopped and took in the seen in front of him. Mrs. Weasley had Tonks in a tight embrace and Tonks was crying into her shoulder.

Harry's breath caught in his throat, "Remus…" he choked quietly, but it was more then loud enough for the two adults to hear and they both turned to him.

Mrs. Weasley looked to him with tears in her eyes and smiled. "He's going to be fine. They're keeping him overnight for observation but he'll be back with us by this afternoon," she sighed quietly.

Harry really didn't know what he had expected to hear, but that he was going to be fine was certainly not what he had expected. He had steeled himself for the worst and now he felt himself relax with relief as he sunk down onto the stairs and put his face in his hands. "He's going to be fine," he muttered to himself.

Harry heard two sets of feet on the stairs behind him and he lifted his head and turned to see Ron and his sister Ginny stop on the stairs just above him, they both had anxious looks on their sleep-ridden faces. Harry sighed at the sight of them.

"He's going to be fine," he softly repeated the words that he had just said, this time not for just himself. Relief washed over both Ron and Ginny's faces and they followed suit and also sat down on the stairs, and it suddenly hit Harry, how much Remus Lupin meant to everyone. He wasn't just their old professor anymore, he was their friend. But to Harry he was something more; he was the only person left that had really known his parents.

After minutes passed in silence, Harry looked at his wrist out of habit, as if to see what time it was, but there was still no watch there. He figured that it had to be well after four in the morning and he decided that there was no point in going back to bed, not that he had slept at all anyway. Harry pushed himself off the stairs and walked the rest of the way down them. Amazingly, the only thought on his mind now was food, and without any word to anyone, he made his way to the kitchen and started to make himself breakfast. He wasn't surprised when everyone followed him.

Eating his food, eggs and toast, Harry silently thought about the day ahead of them. It would be the first day since he read the second diary that he would not be able to train outside. How was he supposed to physically train himself if he wasn't allowed outside? That thought still in his mind he looked up to Mrs. Weasley. Would she let him leave the house if he said he needed fresh air? More then likely not, but he'd ask anyways.

Mrs. Weasley was in the middle of taking a bite of her toast when she had noticed him staring at her. "Is there something you needed Harry?"

Harry contemplated for a moment, he hadn't been allowed outside last year, but it was worth a shot. "Am I allowed to go outside?"

"If we're not allowed, you're not," Ginny said in a huffy voice, she was obviously annoyed at being cooped up in the house.

"Ginny's right dear, it's not safe. If Death Eaters attacked Muggles right out in the open, then they won't think twice about attacking you, even in broad daylight," Mrs. Weasley said in her mothering way.

Harry stood up from the table suddenly, his face paling. "There have been attacks on Muggles?"

"Yes unfortunately, it's been in the Daily Prophet. There have been attacks every couple of days for the last two or three weeks. Don't you get the Prophet?" Mrs. Weasley said with concern on her face.

"No," Harry sat back down and looked at his nearly empty plate, he was no longer hungry. He didn't understand this. Harry felt Voldemort's emotions regularly and they always came with a feeling of knowing what was happening. Occasionally, when he was asleep he'd even see what Voldemort was doing. He knew when Voldemort was really happy about a Death Eater completing his task, and he knew when Voldemort was angry when a Death Eater failed. Harry was sure that this was an involuntary thing, so how come he didn't know about the attacks on the Muggles, and how come he didn't know about the attack on the Burrow? These were major incidences. Unless they weren't implemented by Voldemort, Harry thought about this for a long time, staring at his plate absently as he did. What if the attacks weren't Death Eaters at all?

"Harry, are you alright?" Mrs. Weasley asked from across the table, Ron, Ginny, and Tonks were now staring at him.

"Was the Dark Mark seen?" Harry blurted out.

"The Prophet didn't say, but I assume it was, you can ask Authur about it later. Are you sure you're alright?" Mrs. Weasley asked again.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Harry lied. He wasn't fine; he was confused and afraid of what this might mean. If what Harry was thinking was true then Voldemort had either found a way to block him out or there was a new enemy in their midst. Harry still felt Voldemort's emotions... Now that Harry thought about it, all the unnatural feelings he had been having lately, was that of fear, anger, and hatred. Had he been receiving these emotions intentionally? Now Harry wondered if Voldemort had also found a way into his mind as he had done at the end of the school year. If Voldemort could partially control his emotions, could Voldemort learn to control him? Harry tried to shake the thought off and tried to convince himself that it was a new enemy, because it was better then the alternative, but he couldn't.

Harry noticed that he was visibly shaking and everyone was still staring at him. He immediately excused himself from the table and nearly ran up to his and Ron's bedroom. He closed the door hard behind him and leaned his head against it, closing his eyes. He waited until the fear inside him subsided and he calmed down and stopped shaking. This was not fear put upon him by Voldemort, this was Harry's fear.

Harry opened his eyes and went to his trunk; he opened it up and took out his invisibility cloak. Voldemort couldn't control him yet, and he was determined to never allow him too. The first step to keeping Voldemort out of his mind for good was to strengthen his mind and his body, and the only way he was going to do that was to continue on with his training regardless if the adults stood in his way.

Harry quickly changed into a pair of sweat pants. He put on the invisibility cloak and stepped out into the hall. He walked down into the entrance hall, narrowly avoiding Ron, presumably going up to their room to check on him. After looking around once, Harry slipped through the front door and out into the street of Grimmauld Place. The sun was just starting to lighten the sky but it was not yet visible. Harry knew that it probably wasn't the smartest idea going out of the house with no one knowing, but he was determined to continue on with his training, which running every morning was a part of. Besides, he had never had any problems at Privet Drive. To anyone watching, Harry would look like a Muggle, taking a Muggle run, in Muggle London. Harry had realized after a couple days out at Privet Drive that Muggles out walking or running in the early morning hours was a common occurrence, and he hoped it was the same here.

After Harry was around the corner he took off his cloak. Yesterday he had run for an hour, today he needed to run for an hour and a half. There was a bush on the corner that would make a perfect place to store his cloak until he was finished with his run. He supposed, though he liked having fresh air while excising, that everything else could be done inside, the drawing room would be perfect. It was large enough and all the furniture was already against the walls.

Harry folded his cloak inside out so that it appeared that there was nothing there and set it in the bushes. After making sure that he could still see part of the cloak, he started off in the direction of Kings Cross Station at a easy jog. King Cross, Harry remembered, was exactly twenty minutes by foot from Grimmauld Place. From there he would go to Diagon Alley, back to Kings Cross and then back to Grimmauld Place. Harry didn't have a watch so knowing the time it took to get to certain landmarks was his only sense of time at the moment.

Lucky for Harry, a couple summers back, Harry had spent a better part of a day looking at road maps of London and other large cities around Europe, as it was the only thing for him to concentrate on at the time and he had been absolutely bored out of his mind. If it was one thing that Vernon Dursley had an abundance of, it was road maps. Harry had never really figured out why, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with Wizards and the best way to get away from them, more then likely in a car, as he'd never really seen his uncle walk more then the length of Kings Cross Station and he had taken breaks.

Harry had made it successfully back from Kings Cross just as the sun was really settling in the sky. Harry surmised that it was probably around six or six-thirty. He was noticing that he no longer became out of breath when he ran and he only started to break a sweat when he was halfway back. Harry quickly swooped up his cloak from the bush as he walked by, just incase someone was watching. He really needed to find a better way to get out of Grimmauld Place unseen, or go out earlier when he knew no one was up. Harry after stealthily going behind a ratty looking dead tree threw his cloak over him and walked up to the familiar black painted door with the silver serpent knocker on it, which was appearing out of nowhere.

Harry grabbed the doorknob that held no key hole and a very unpleasant burning sensation met his palm. Harry quickly pulled his hand away with a seething curse on his lips, and looked at his hand. It was now very red where he had touched the doorknob and it was stinging profusely. Harry stepped back and held his breath against the pain in his hand as the door opened and Tonks stuck her head out. Looking around for a moment, not seeing Harry, she was about to close the door when Harry stuck some of his cloak in the door so it wouldn't close all the way. After a moment, Harry pushed opened the door, avoiding the doorknob completely, and entered the deserted entrance hall. He'd have to remember that there was a password protecting the door and he'd have to somehow find out what it was or he wouldn't have a hand left by the end of the week.

With his hand hurting viciously now, Harry made his way up to his room quietly. He opened the door and was relieved to see that Ron wasn't there. Harry threw aside his cloak and rummaged through his trunk, he was sure that he had some healing salve in there somewhere. It was something Hermione had given him to help heal the visible scar on the back of his hand that said 'I will not tell lies,' thanks to toad lady Umbridge, his last terms Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He sorely hoped that they had a better Professor this year.

He had just grasped the container of salve when the door opened behind him and Ron came into the room. "There you are Harry, where have you been? Mums gone mad with worry, we searched every room and couldn't find you and then the alarm on the front door sounded, and Tonks and Mum thought someone was trying to break through the wards… What are you doing?"

It did look odd, Harry had his arm half way inside his trunk and he was holding the other one against him. Harry quickly pulled out the salve along with one of his schoolbooks. "I was looking for ah…" Harry looked at the cover of the book and nearly cringed. "My Potions book and I've found it," Harry held it up, dropping the salve into his lap as he did. "And I've been in the library reading."

Ron looked at him skeptically. "I checked there and didn't see you."

"I was under my cloak, really needed to get some homework done and didn't want to be disturbed," Harry thought quickly.

"We didn't have any summer homework, Harry. Are you feeling alright?" Ron questioned, to him he probably was acting like Hermione right now.

"Umm… it was something McGonagall gave me, to help with Auror training I guess. You know she really wants me to become an Auror, suppose she thought she'd help me get a head start," Harry fudged through the fib, it was plausible and it was Ron standing in front of him not Hermione.

Ron shrugged. "That's too bad; bet you thought you'd have a summer free of homework after our O.W.L.'s?"

Harry faked what he hoped was a funny snort, his hand felt like it was on fire now and he really wanted to get the salve on it. He was sure that his face was becoming bright red with the effort of staying calm. Harry dropped the book and put the salve in his pocket. "I think I'll take a shower, and then finish my homework." Harry nearly bolted from the room. He ran into the bathroom and after closing the door, ran his hand under the cold water for a quite a while. Harry turned his hand over and looked at the middle of his palm, there was now a tiny serpent shaped scar there from the doorknob. Now he had two visible scars on his right hand.

Harry rubbed on the healing salve, he didn't just put it on his palm but also on the back of his hand, hoping that both scars would disappear, how was he supposed to explain the appearance of the scar on his palm? The healing salve started to work almost immediately though it didn't remove either scar, it did heal the area and stop the burning. _I'm just going to have to start wearing a glove or something_, Harry thought.

There was a knock on the bathroom door and Harry, after placing the remainder of the salve into his pocket, opened up the door to find Ron standing there with a towel over his arm. Harry looked at him questioningly.

"You forgot your towel. As amusing as I think it would be to see you try to run back to our room stark naked, there are females living here too and I wouldn't want you to shock them or anything," Ron said holding out the towel to Harry as he tried to stifle an amused laugh.

Harry took the towel with his left hand as his right was hidden behind his back. "Thanks," he said under his breath. He hadn't actually thought about taking a shower just yet, he still had some physical training to do, but it looked like it would have to wait, his hand still stung a bit anyway.

"What's wrong with your hand?"

Harry looked up to Ron startled. "What? Nothing," he blurted.

The way Ron looked at him reminded Harry of Hermione greatly. Ron grabbed his hand from behind his back before Harry knew what he was doing. Ron gapped at Harry as he looked at the palm of his hand. Harry yanked his hand out of Ron's. "Bloody hell Harry, it was you who set off the door alarm. What were you doing outside, you heard Mum this morning; it's not safe."

_Nowhere is safe_, Harry thought. "I just went out for a few minutes for some fresh air. I must have let the door close behind me and when I went to get back in the door knob… well; I didn't know it was cursed." Harry fudged through the lie, some of it was true, but it still hurt to lie to Ron again. He really wanted to tell him about Merlin's Diaries and his training, but he didn't know if he could trust Ron enough, and it hurt him that he thought that, but he really didn't know if he would keep his mouth shut about it. If Dumbledore thought he was using Dark Magic, Ron might as well. It was best to keep it all a secret, at least until he didn't need the Diaries anymore, and with the way he absorbed written information, he was sure not to need them anymore sooner rather then later. It was all stored in his memory.

The look on Ron's face was enough to tell Harry that his reason for going outside wasn't good enough. "You went outside for fresh air!" Ron's ears were turning slightly pink, he was mad. "Look mate, the next time you want fresh air, open a window. Think about how the rest of us would feel if 'You Know Who' were to… if you were to…"

"Die," Harry finished for him in a whisper. "I'm sorry Ron, really, I won't go outside again. You won't tell anyone will you?" Harry lied again as he realized that lying was becoming increasingly easier. He knew that he'd be lying a lot this year, and keeping much from his friends. But he wasn't going to let anything stop him from training. They'd understand in time. At least he hoped they would.

A/N: Harry's now openly lying to his best friend, will he ever tell the truth again?


	6. Truth

_Remus returns to Grimmauld place and Harry finds that there is more being kept from him. Harry stupidly shows some of what he has been learning from Merlin's Diaries, but will he be in trouble for it?_

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Six- Truth

Ron was angrier then Harry had thought. He hadn't spoken two words to him since that morning and he was avoiding him. Harry was sitting on the stairs in the entrance hall waiting for Tonks to get back with Remus. He'd been sitting there for over two hours. Other then his run he hadn't done any of his physical training for the day. It seemed wherever he went in Grimmauld Place, someone else would be. Harry was beginning to think that they were following him and watching him. Snape was the most conspicuous, why he was their was beyond Harry, but when ever Harry would enter into a room where Snape would be, the loathsome man would watch him very closely. As if, he was looking for something out of the ordinary. Not that Harry would ever be ordinary.

Harry stood up quietly and a smile met his lips as the door opened and Tonks and Remus appeared into the entrance hall. The smile faded from Harry's face as he took in Lupin's appearance, he looked tired and beaten, not just physically but mentally and he had a faraway look in his eyes as he glanced up the stairs at Harry, not really seeing him.

"Come on Remus, lets go into the kitchen so you can sit down," Tonks said quietly as she led Lupin in the direction of the kitchen.

Harry followed behind them. He hadn't expected to see Remus so withdrawn. No one had told him exactly what had happened at the Burrow, and Harry was beginning to think that there was more to the attack then anyone was letting on.

Harry waited until Lupin was sitting at the kitchen table before he sat down across from him.

"Harry, my boy," a slight smile touched Remus' lips as he focused on Harry. "How are you, staying out of trouble?"

"Better then you I think," Harry said with a smirk on his face. "What happened, did you get nicked by a curse?" Harry's smirk disappeared in an instant when he saw the look on Remus' face.

Lupin looked up to Mrs. Weasley who had come into the kitchen moments before. "You didn't tell him? None of you did?"

"Albus didn't think that it would be a good idea. You're safe and that's all that really matters…"

"Tell me what?" Harry asked looking from Remus to Mrs. Weasley and back again.

"All that really matters; Harry should have known!" Remus said standing from his chair.

"Should have known what?" Harry asked. He was now standing as well. Remus sat back down in his chair and Harry looked down at him. "Should have known what?" he asked again.

"What exactly did they tell you?" Remus asked Harry.

Harry sat back down. "That there had been an attack at the Burrow and that you had been hurt."

Remus looked sternly up to Mrs. Weasley. "I thought that you at least would have told him."

"Albus told me not to Remus. After we brought him here yesterday he…"

"Yesterday, you've only been here since yesterday?" Harry nodded and Remus shook his head in what appeared to be disbelief. "Albus is going way too far. He should have been brought here the second you all knew I was missing, if not for anything else, his safety. I knew exactly where Harry was, if Voldemort had gotten anything out of me…"

"Wait a minute," Harry stood up from his chair abruptly. "You were captured by Voldemort!"

Mrs. Weasley and Tonks visibly flinched at Voldemort's name and, he was sure, the harshness in his voice. Remus just stared up at Harry.

"Yes Harry, but I do not think he knew who I was," Harry slowly sat down as Remus explained. "A little over two weeks ago Albus sent me out on a mission to round up as many werewolves as possible so that I could try and bring them into the Order. Unfortunately, it seemed that Lord Voldemort had ideas of his own. He sent out numerous Death Eaters to capture the exact group that I was meeting with. Nearly half of the group were Muggles and had no way of defending themselves in human form against magic. There were simply too many of them for the rest of us to handle. Two days ago a small group of us, all of us Wizards, managed to overthrow our guard and escape. We Apparated to the only place I could think of that had wards against Death Eaters, the Burrow," Remus paused a moment, but when Harry didn't say anything he continued. "Somehow the Death Eaters tracked us and managed to break down the wards around the Burrow. They killed four and wound the rest of us before Order members arrived, called by the alarms set off by the wards failing."

Harry knew that Remus was leaving bits out, but he wasn't going to make him tell all that had happened to him. Harry already knew, by the look in Remus' eyes, he knew that he had been tortured by Voldemort. Remus was very lucky that he was still alive. Harry knew how much Voldemort hated half-breeds. Harry curled his hand into a fist on top of the table, cracking his knuckles as he did so. When Harry was strong enough, Voldemort was going to pay for this and everything that he had done to his friends and family.

"_Dumbledore_," Harry mumbled under his breath before he looked up to Remus. "I'm glad you're alright Remus," Harry said somberly as he got up from the table. "I'll see you all at dinner. I'll go tell Ginny and Ron you're back." Harry walked out of the kitchen before anyone had a chance to say anything. He made his way up the stairs with no intention of going to find Ginny or Ron. He was seeking out his potion's professor. Harry walked down the hall of the first floor corridor and into the library. Snape was sitting by the unlit fireplace reading but his head snapped up as Harry entered into the room and walked straight towards him.

"What do you want Potter?" Snape asked with his usual sneer in his voice.

"I would like to speak with Professor Dumbledore," Harry said with a strained calm in his voice.

"Professor Dumbledore is very busy, Potter. He doesn't have time to…"

"Get him now," Harry's calm was withering. His anger should have been more then apparent.

"I certainly will not Mr. Potter…" Snape began but Dumbledore came into the library before he could finish.

"Harry, Remus has told me that you may wish to speak with me," Dumbledore said calmly.

"Yes, I do. Why didn't you tell me Voldemort had captured Remus?" Harry asked and his voice rose a little with anger.

"We didn't know that Remus had been captured until he turned up at the Burrow. We knew he was missing but we had no reason to believe that Lord Voldemort was behind his disappearance. I admit that it was another failing on my part to not tell you about Remus, but Harry…"

Harry wasn't calmed down in the slightest by Dumbledore's words. "You are right, Professor, it was another failing," Harry shook with anger but his voice remained calm. "I am tired of your lies and secrets, either you start telling me everything from now on or stay out of my life entirely." Harry turned away from Dumbledore and left the library swiftly as his calm exterior was about to shatter and he didn't want to be near anyone when it did.

Dumbledore had followed Harry out of the Library. "Harry, wait please."

"I have nothing more to say to you at the moment, Professor." Harry seethed through clenched teeth. He didn't even stop to look at Dumbledore.

He had just made it to the stairs and was overlooking the entryway when he finally lost control. All of the lanterns in the hall went out when met with a strong gust of wind and the only light that could be seen was from the growing fire blue orb that floated inches in front of Harry. A door slammed from above and fast footsteps could be heard from all directions, that was when Harry lost his hold on his magic and the orb shot away from him to bounce off ceiling, floor and walls until it hit the portrait of Mrs. Black and disappeared shortly after. Mrs. Black started wailing something about attempted murder and filthy Muggle lovers.

Harry's heart was beating wildly and his breathing was ragged as he stood in the hall, his hands still clenched into fists. He knew that what he had done had taken a considerable amount of magic to do, but now that his energy had been spent he was no longer angry, but scared. He couldn't believe that he had lost control like that.

Ron had appeared on the landing above him and Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, and Remus on the floor below, Dumbledore and Snape were down the hall from the library and Ginny who had come out of her room had appeared behind them.

Harry looked at everyone coming towards him briefly, fear and panic in his green eyes, and then he ran up the stairs. "Bloody Hell, Harry," Ron said as Harry past him, but he ignored him and ran as fast as he could up the next flight to Sirius' bedroom where he promptly shut and locked the door, and threw himself on Sirius' bed.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Harry repeated to himself over and over again as he buried his face in his arms. He really was stupid, there was no way that a massive surge of magic like that, coming from him of all underage Wizards, was going to go unnoticed by the Ministry, even if they weren't monitoring for underage magic.

A/N: There you go, chapter six.


	7. Dreams and Potions

_Harry receives a new diary from Fawkes, the Weasley's leave Grimmauld Place with Remus and Tonks, Harry has a very unpleasant run in with Snape, and an even more unpleasant encounter with the Dark Lord._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Seven- Dreams and Potions

Harry's temples were throbbing when he woke up. At first he didn't remember where he was or anything that had happened in the last day, but as soon as he opened his eyes everything painfully came back to him. He was still in Sirius' bedroom and the door was still locked. He didn't know how long he had been asleep for. He didn't even remember falling asleep. He only remembered thinking about Sirius and then being overwhelmed with the though that his godfather's death had been his fault. He remembered crying into his arms over the loss of his godfather, and being in his room had finally made Harry realize that Sirius truly wasn't coming back. There was no one left that understood him, and what was worse, he was probably in trouble for unleashing his magic the way he did. It really had been stupid, he could have controlled himself, but he hadn't wanted to. He wouldn't let himself loose control again. He could have seriously hurt someone.

The magic he had used had taken a huge amount of energy out of him, which was probably why he had fallen asleep, he was just glad that no one had really witnessed his emotional breakdown. Harry slowly pushed himself up to a sitting position. He was now receiving the side affects of using such powerful magic. He felt like he had been trampled over by a heard of hippogriffs and on top of that he was starving. He now remembered that he had eaten very little in the last day.

Forcing himself to stand, Harry stumbled across to the door and unlocked the latch. He pulled the door open an inch and peered out. Satisfied that no one was about, Harry stepped out into the hall and started to make his way down the several flights of stairs to the kitchen. He was surprised that he met no one on the way. Besides a lit lantern here and there, all was dark and there wasn't a sound in all of Grimmauld Place. Harry didn't bother lighting any candles as he entered into the deserted kitchen, there were already three or four lit, and the dimness didn't bother him at all.

Harry set about making anything that he could find to eat. When he was finished he'd managed to make three chicken sandwiches, a bowl of chicken soup, and he'd found some butter beer stashed away in one of the cupboards, presumably belonging to George or Fred, as there were several Weasley Wizarding candies just in back of them. Harry consumed the food quickly and was just taking a bite out of his last sandwich when Fawkes suddenly appeared in front of him on the table.

Harry hit at his chest a couple of times, as he had choked on the bite of sandwich, and he swallowed hard. He had not expected Fawkes to appear then, and it had scared the hell out of him. "Bloody Hell Fawkes, a warning would have been nice," again, Harry thought, _I'm talking to a bloody bird_.

The phoenix just looked at Harry for a half a second, jumped up into the air with his wings outstretched, and then landed again, as a really thick book fell hard on the table with a heavy thud. Harry got up immediately and pulled the large tomb towards him eagerly with a grin on his face. "Another diary, excellent," Harry whispered as he opened the book to the first page and read the first few paragraphs in lightning speed, his brow furrowing ever so slightly as he read and then flipped through the book, the grin faded from Harry's face immediately. "A Potions book," Harry cringed. It was indeed a Potions book, from front to back almost every page was covered with hand written instructions on how to create various Potions, including ingredients needed and the most likely places to find them.

Fawkes just nodded at Harry's cringe, looked at him sternly and then disappeared in a flash of feathers and fire. Harry looked at the spot the phoenix had vanished from for several minutes, before he closed the book and started clearing up his dishes. Potions was, and as far as Harry was concerned, would always be his worst subject and a complete waste of time. He'd never be able to create anything from that book, even if they were instructions from Merlin himself, so Harry decided that reading it was pointless, he'd concentrate on other areas of study. Especially anything he could use against Voldemort.

Harry tucked the book under his arm and started to leave the kitchen when he realized for the first time, that his glasses were not on his face. Harry raised an eyebrow and turned back towards the kitchen. Everything was clear as day.

"How?" murmured Harry to himself as he looked around the kitchen, he had definitely left his glasses in Sirius' room. He had been seeing clearly since he woke up. Harry ran his hand through his still sleep tussled hair. It didn't make any logical sense. Unless the magic he had used had done it, but how? But then logic was thrown out the window when it came to magic.

Harry kept looking around the kitchen in amazement, when he noticed a letter that he hadn't seen sitting on the counter until then. Harry walked over to it and picked it up. It had his name on it in glistening green letters and the Hogwarts seal was pressed into the wax on the back of it. Harry broke the seal and pulled out the letter inside. He scanned over it very quickly and then his eyes widened, and his mouth hung open in disbelief. It was more amazing then his gaining perfect eyesight. The letter held his O.W.L. test results and he had scored an O in Potions. Snape was going to be livid, but Harry was thrilled. Not at the prospect that he had to spend yet another year in the mans presence, but because he could take the only class that he thought for sure would hold him back from becoming an Auror, the only occupation Harry had ever really considered. Of course that was before the prophecy…

Perhaps he wasn't as bad at Potions as he thought, though he doubted that he'd be able to make use of Merlin's potion book, of what little he had glanced over in the book, it appeared very advanced and complex, too complex for his limited potion skills. He'd read it anyway of course, how else was he going to get another diary. Fawkes only ever brought him one when he had finished the last.

Harry was still contemplating this thought as he walked out of the kitchen and towards the stairs. Voices in the hall above made Harry stop and shrink quickly into the shadows, before he had the chance to put one foot on the stairs. Harry listened intently, it sounded as if the entire Weasley family was in the entrance hall, and though they were talking in hushed voices, do to Mrs. Black, Harry could hear every word of their arguing clearly. Had his hearing increased as well? Harry shook his head away from the thought.

"Mum, shouldn't Harry be coming with us, or shouldn't we at least wake him up and tell him we're going?" It was Ginny's concerned voice that Harry heard first.

"Yeah Mum, he's been in that room for two days, he hasn't come out to eat or anything," that was distinctly Ron's voice.

"I know you're concerned about your friend dears, and I have to admit that I am a bit worried myself, but Professor Dumbledore insists that we do not disturb him, he believes that Harry will come out when he is ready. However, if he has not come out by the time we get back tonight I will personally go in there and drag him out by his collar."

Harry would have laughed at Mrs. Weasley's last statement had she not said it so seriously, and Harry's mind was still reeling with the thought that he'd been asleep for two days. The magic must have taken more out of him then he thought. But given him more as well?

"Mum, what was the magic Harry used the other night that has Professor Dumbledore and the Order so worried?" Ginny asked cautiously.

Harry's ears perked up. _Yes, Mrs. Weasley, what magic exactly, does Dumbledore think I'm using? _Harry thought to himself and he knew that there'd be a sneer in his voice if he were to ask the question out loud.

Harry could almost feel the hesitation coming from Mrs. Weasley, and just as he was about to think that she wasn't going to answer Ginny's question, she spoke. "I can not tell you the exact spell because I do not know it, but I can tell you that it was very Dark Magic."

"So what Snape told us in the meeting last night is true. Harry's somehow learning Dark Magic," Harry didn't recognize the voice right off but the next person who spoke told him who the voice belonged to.

"Not just Dark Magic Bill, powerful and deadly magic. Harry very well could have killed himself the other night as well as anyone near him," Remus' angry words made all the Weasley's gasp. Harry wanted to run up the stairs to Remus and tell him it wasn't true, that he would never use Dark Magic, but something made him stay where he was.

"How long do you suppose Harry's been using the Dark Arts?" It was Charlie's voice that made Harry creep closer to the stairs, though still stay in the shadows.

"With the amount of power he's gained I'd have to guess over a year, maybe more," Remus' heated words stung at Harry viciously. They'd known each other since Harry's third year at Hogwarts. How could Remus think that he'd been practicing Dark Magic for so long? Or that he would ever practice Dark Magic.

"It isn't true!" There was still hope, Ron didn't believe it. If anyone trusted Harry to have enough common sense to not use Dark Magic, it would be his best friend. "Hermione and me, well Hermione anyways would have known if Harry was using Dark Magic all last year, plus he never used magic like this until he came here, maybe it's uh…"

_You should have kept your mouth shut Ron, now go on make up some excuse_. Harry thought as he listed to Ron's pathetic attempt at defending him.

"Yes, Ronald?" Mrs. Weasley questioned.

"Umm… well I… umm… Harry left the house a couple days ago. He's the one that set off the alarm." Harry put his head in his hand. Even Ron was betraying him now. Was everyone against him?

"Ronald Weasley, why didn't you tell someone before now? He could have been seen, he could have been killed," Mrs. Weasley near shrieked and it reminded Harry of the howler Ron had gotten in his second year. Amazingly Mrs. Black stayed quiet.

"I know Mum, but he made me promise. He said he'd just gone outside for some fresh air, and promised never to…" Ron's sentence was cut short as the front door opened and closed.

"Hello Tonks, any problems getting the portkey?" Remus asked. The anger now gone from his voice, replaced by what Harry could only discern has sadness. Or regret?

"None, the Ministry is in such disarray that they couldn't care less about the little things like portkeys and such," Tonks' voice sounded quite sad as well. "Well come on Weasley's if we don't get moving, we're going to be late. Fred, George and Arthur are all meeting us there." There was a shuffling of feet, presumably everyone trying to gather around the portkey. Where were they going? "Remus are you sure you're alright to come with us? You don't have to."

"I'm fine, I have to go. I have to see this through to the end. But I am a little worried about leaving Harry here," Remus' voice held a slight bit of annoyance.

"Don't worry, Severus is here, Harry will be fine. Now put your finger on the Portkey it's going to go off shortly." There was another shuffle of feet, letting Remus into the group.

"That's what I'm worried about," Remus quickly added and then there was silence.

Harry cautiously made his way up the stairs and into the now empty entrance hall. He breathed out heavily. He desperately wanted to tell everyone about Merlin's Diaries, but there was still that tiny nagging voice that kept telling him to keep the Diaries to himself. Harry briefly wondered again, where they had all gone as he walked up the next flight of stairs and right into the path of Severus Snape. Harry tried to turn around quickly but was too slow for the Potion's Professor had already seen him.

"How long have you been up and about, Potter?" there was no civility in his address.

Harry turned around and looked at Snape with disgust. "I've been up long enough to hear many things, now if you would excuse me." What Harry really wanted to say, was 'move you slimy git.' He was very close to actually saying it, but he'd just got high enough on his O.W.L.'s to get into Snape's class. He didn't want to blow it, and get kicked out before school even started.

"One moment Potter, what is that book you are holding?" Harry had forgotten that he still held Merlin's book under his arm and panic almost washed over his face before a slight smirk came across Harry's lips.

"It's a potion's book Sir. Professor McGonagall thought it would come in handy for me to get a head start on my N.E.W.T. studies. She gave it to me at the end of last term," Harry lied through his teeth but kept the smirk on his face.

"As far as I am aware, Potter, you did not receive high enough marks on your O.W.L.'s to get into my N.E.W.T. Potions class."

The smirk grew on Harry's face immediately. "How would you know? O.W.L. scores haven't come out yet, or have they?" Harry held up the letter that he had crunched in his left hand. "I scored an O in Potions Professor; I believe that's high enough to get into your Potions class."

Snape Sneered, "nothing is high enough to get into my class for you, Potter. I refuse to continue to teach Potions to a spoiled brat such as you."

"Fine, why would I want to continue in your pathetic Potions class anyways Snape? I've never learned anything there. I'm surprised anyone has," Harry threw down his O.W.L. results at Snape's feet. "All I have to do is pass the exam, as long as I study on my own, I don't have to take your class at all," Harry said cheekily. He hoped that what he was saying was true, though part of him really didn't care. "Now excuse me, I have nothing more to say to you," Harry clenched his teeth against the urge to throw a curse at Snape, and Harry was startled that it wasn't his urge, but Voldemort's. Harry moved around him to continue up the stairs to his and Ron's room.

"Potter, if you continue to dwell in the Dark Arts, there will be consequences," Snape sneered calmly as Harry started up the stairs.

Harry turned around very quickly. "I am not learning Dark Magic!" Harry breathed in deeply, and with hatred in his eyes, asked the question he'd been subconsciously dying to ask. "What right do you have to tell all of the Order that I was using Dark Magic? Was it Dumbledore's idea or did you do it of own violation?" Harry was seething. He knew that he should keep his mouth shut but his anger was too great. "If you continue to insist to everyone that I am using Dark Magic, I will not be held responsible for my ACTIONS!" Harry shouted down the stairs and then he took in a calming deep breath. He had to control himself. He had to.

"If it's not Dark Magic Potter, what is it?" Snape asked, too calmly.

"Something a servant of Voldemort could never grasp," Harry spit out the words in a harsh whisper before he could stop himself. His scar stung irritably as he turned way to continue up the stairs.

"_Crucio_!" the words came a half a heart beat before Snape's curse and Harry screamed and dropped to his knees in agony. He felt as if every cell in his body was on fire, every nerve ending. He felt himself slide down several stairs, but wasn't aware of it until he stopped at Snape's feet. Then the curse was lifted suddenly. "I am not a servant of the Dark Lord!"

Harry panted and turned to Snape with fear and tears in his eyes, and utter disbelief. Harry quivered with painful after shocks, but managed to scramble to his feet shakily and unsteadily. He wanted to get as far away from the man as possible.

"That's why you're still a servant of Voldemort," Harry whispered weakly and then grabbed his book from the stair above him and against the protest of his body, ran up the stairs and into his room, slammed the door behind him.

Harry dropped the Potion's book and sunk to the floor, he leaned his head against the door with his eyes closed, trying to stem the flow of tears that streamed down his face. Harry had been bullied and beaten up all of his life by either his uncle or his cousin. He was used to the physical abuse, but never did he imagine that a teacher, including Professor Snape, would ever right out curse him with an unforgivable curse. Why did he feel so grown up, but was still so naïve?

Getting hit with the Cruciatus Curse by Snape had been far different then getting hit with it by Voldemort. Bellatrix Lestrange had been right; you have to mean it for the curse to work properly. While Voldemort got pleasure from using the curse on Harry it was obvious by the power of the curse that Snape did not, and that was what made Snape different from Voldemort and his followers. Snape had used the curse out of anger and no more, and Harry had provoked that anger. Not that he was forgiving the man of anything.

Harry sat contemplating this for hours, at least he it felt like hours, and sometime during those hours, Harry had begun to fall asleep against the door. His head rolled to one side as he tried fruitlessly to stay awake…

"_Lucius, you have come back to me," the voice Harry spoke with was strong and full of power, but still had the unmistakable snake like hiss to it._

"_My Lord," Lucius Malfoy knelt in front of him on one knee. He had no mask and the black robes he wore were tattered and stained, but his white-blond hair was still sleek and gleaming, as if untouched by the filth that he wore._

"_We are so glad to have you rejoin us, aren't we, Potter?"_

_Harry suddenly felt himself being propelled from his body… no, not his body, Voldemort's body! Within seconds he was visibly standing in front of Lucius Malfoy and Lord Voldemort, but he knew that he was still dreaming. "How?" he asked with his own shaky voice as he stared back at the Dark Lord. Maybe he wasn't dreaming. He never really remembered falling asleep._

"_Amazing what the unconscious mind can do when it has power to back it up, isn't it?" Voldemort walked towards Harry and Harry flinched away from him. "Ah, Mr. Potter, do not worry, I can not harm you, for you are not actually here," Malfoy looked up at Harry with disgust at Voldemort's words._

_Harry looked at Voldemort with an expression of fear and confusion. "I don't understand," Harry said shakily._

"_I have simply allowed you to project yourself from my mind and yours. This way, when you sleep and see what I am doing, you will no longer be seeing it through me or feeling it, and I, will always be able to tell when you are here with me. This applies both ways off course, but I very much doubt that you could summon the amount of power to make me visible to all around you, as I am doing know," Voldemort explained and Harry was frighteningly amazed at Voldemort's power. "Now tell me Potter, before your body wakes up and you leave us, how did it feel to be tortured by Severus Snape? It's so much fun when I can control my followers," Voldemort said this with a smirk on his face and anger flashed across Harry's face and then to Harry's horror-struck pleasure, amusement._

"_Stop making me feel your emotions," Harry spat at Voldemort, and a revolting smile played across Voldemort's lips._

"_Oh but it's so pleasurable to see the reverse finally put upon you. Did you know that for a year I felt every sickening giddy feeling you had. Every feeling of happiness, of joy, that was powerful enough to be projected to me?" Harry stopped breathing at Voldemort's words and his face paled considerably as another disgusting smile played across the Dark Lord's lips. "But I think the most intriguing of all the emotions I felt from you this past school year, was the one a got from you the morning after our little battle in the Ministry of Magic. Hatred, anger, fear, sorrow, all of my favorite feelings all wrapped up into one very powerful burst of emotion. It gave me much strength, and power that night, and I would like to thank you for it."_

_Horror washed across Harry's face as the room in front of him blurred. The power Voldemort was using over Harry had come from his outburst in Dumbledore's office the morning he had found out about the Prophecy. The morning after he had lost his godfather, and the memory of that night came flowing back to Harry in a torrent._

"_Yes Potter, fuel my power…"_

Were, along with the sound of manic laughter, the last words Harry heard from Voldemort before he woke up with a start on the floor of his bedroom. He was now curled in a tight ball and he shook as he tried to wash from his mind anything that would make him feel any kind of emotion.

A/N: Wow, Harry's having a ruff time of it. Keep on with the reading to find out what Harry plans to do about Professor Snape, the Evil Dark Lord, and that pesky Potion's book Fawkes dropped off.


	8. I Need Your Help

_Hermione, it's all my fault. Snape I need your help? Harry finds a potion that will allow him to loose his emotions, but he needs Snape's help to get the ingredients. Will Snape help him, or will he be the annoying git he's always been?_

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Eight- I Need You're Help

Harry stayed curled in a ball on the floor until he felt himself calm down and then he immediately pushed himself up. He wasn't in any physical pain, though he really felt like he should be. He felt sick to his stomach that he was giving Voldemort, the man he was destined to kill, _or die trying_, more power. He didn't understand how Voldemort was gaining power through his emotions, whether it was from their link through his scar, or if it had something to do with Voldemort's failed attempt at trying to posses him that night at the Ministry. It was just dawning on Harry that there was a lot about magic that he didn't know or understand, and it made him want to learn as much as he could and soon. But first, he had to find a way to keep control over his emotions. _No not his, Voldemort's._

Harry's eyes shot to his trunk as something came to his mind. He went to his trunk and pulled out all of the diaries desperately. He opened all of them one by one, discarding them angrily as he didn't find what he was looking for. He knew he had seen it somewhere in one of the dairies, a spell or something, that he had glanced briefly over, but still absorbed it into his memory. It was something that would allow himself to not feel any emotion. True, a little drastic, but he'd try anything to be rid of Voldemort's feelings.

Harry had just thrown the last book back into his trunk in frustration when he caught sight of the Potions book still lying half opened and upside down, where he had dropped it hours ago. "It couldn't possibly be in there," Harry said disbelieving to himself, but he hesitantly and reluctantly picked up the book and turned it over to open it all the way. He didn't have to turn any pages as the potion was staring adamantly up at him from the page below. Harry let escape a short derisive laugh.

"_The Vampirism Potion," _Harry read out loud softly_. "Allows the drinker to temporarily gain the abilities of a Vampire; the effects which include heightened speed, hearing, eyesight, and strength, only last for two hours, three at the most, depending on the amount drunk at the time. Negative side affects include lack of emotion, most of the time including remorse, which seems to last much longer then the rest of the effects, up to two to five_ _days. Some have become very sensitive to sunlight, and there is an occasional craving for blood. This potion will not turn the drinker into a Vampire unless used too often or in high quantities, which normally results in death first." _Harry dropped the open book on the floor. "Well that's not too bad," Harry scoffed sarcastically under his breath.

He bent down and picked the book back up. Harry read down the list of ingredients and the preparation instructions. The potion was fairly simple and only took a couple of hours to brew; it required a special cauldron though. Even he with his limited potion skills could pull it off. But the ingredients were what stopped Harry. The two main ingredients were nearly impossible to obtain, at least for him at the moment. Unicorns blood could probably some how be gotten in Knockturn Alley, but where would he ever find The Blood of a Vampire, all it said in the book was from a vampire, but Harry had never even met one before. Harry was about to read through the entire book, to see if he could find a substitute potion when he heard a very familiar voice coming from the floor above.

Harry quickly put the potion's book on top of the other diaries in his trunk and closed and locked it, before he got up and ventured out of his room and up the stairs.

"Harry Potter if you don't come out of that room right now I'll never speak to you again!"

"Hermione?" he said loudly from the other end of the hall as he stood at the top of the stairs. Though it was small, a true smile for once, touched Harry's lips at the sight of her.

"Harry!" Hermione turned around so fast that her lengthening bushy brown ponytail whipped around and struck her in the face. She subconsciously wiped at her face as she looked at Harry. The expression on her face told him that he should have looked in a mirror before coming up the stairs. She paled considerably at the sight of him. "Merlin Harry, you look awful."

The smile faded from Harry's face, just as quickly as it had come, and he looked at Hermione with eyes that said 'well that's obvious,' but other then that ignored the comment. "Why were you yelling at Sirius' door, and what are you doing here? I thought you'd gone to Germany with your parents," Harry remembered Mrs. Weasley telling him when he arrived that Hermione and her family were visiting relatives in Heidelberg.

"Ronald wrote me, said you'd gone and locked yourself in Sirius' room. When I arrived, Professor Snape answered the door and mumbled something about you still locked in your room, so I assumed he meant Sirius' room," Hermione explained. "By the way, have you seen Professor Snape lately? He looks all out of sorts, he didn't even act like he normally does around me, and I got the distinct impression that he would have let anyone in that came to the door."

"Snape…" Harry whispered; there was no anger in his voice, though he was sure there ought to be. Harry sunk to the floor against the wall and put his head in his hands with a heavy sigh. "Oh Hermione, it's all my fault. Always is though, isn't it?"

"That's not true Harry, nothings ever been your fault, and I'm sure it's not now. Why don't you tell me what has happened? I'm sure there's a solution," Hermione knelt on the floor next to him with concern in her eyes.

"No Hermione, this time it really is. I was angry at him and I shouldn't have provoked him."

"Angry at who, Harry?" but as soon as the words left her mouth her clever mind caught up with her and her expression went from curiosity back to concern. "Professor Snape. What happened?"

Harry looked to his hands, the scar in his right palm clearly visible. "I'll tell you, and I don't know why I'm standing up for him. I mean I hate him, but it really wasn't his fault, he wouldn't have done it otherwise…"

"Harry, what?"

Harry looked up to Hermione's eyes. "I got into an argument with Snape over the fact that he's not going to let me into his Potions class this year, even though I got top marks on the Potions O.W.L. I accused him of still being a servant of Voldemort and he… he cursed me with the Cruciatus Curse… But really, I can't blame him entirely, Voldemort made him." Did he really believe that?

Hermione's face paled considerably and her eyes widened in Horror. "How can you defend him?"

Harry looked away from Hermione's face. How could he defend him? Though he didn't care personally for his potion's professor, and he really did hate the man, it wasn't Snape's fault that he had attacked Harry. Harry had felt it while he was arguing with Snape, but he had brushed it off as Voldemort trying to control his emotions again. When Harry hadn't taken the bite, he had gone after Snape, with the knowledge that he would, and had. Harry had hoped that Snape knew how to keep his mouth shut, for Harry had planned to not tell anyone about it, but what Hermione had just revealed about Snape made Harry believe that his potion's professor was bound to be stupider then he thought. Harry knew that Professor Snape would tell because of his blind loyalty to Dumbledore. And Dumbledore would turn him away. Harry didn't know why, but he was certain of it. Dumbledore would no longer allow him to teach, nor would he allow him to remain in the Order, Snape would have nothing left.

"That was why Voldemort was so pleased. Snape would have no where else to go but back to him," Harry whispered to himself.

"Professor Snape's going to go back to V-Voldemort?" Hermione sounded appalled.

Harry's head shot around to the stairs at the sound of several people landing in the entrance hall. "Not if I can help it," Harry was up on his feet and bounding down the stairs before Hermione had the chance to get to her feet. Harry looked briefly over the banister, Dumbledore had come back with the Weasley's and Snape was predictably making his way down the stairs towards him.

_Stupid man! _Harry though as he clambered down the rest of the stairs but came to an abrupt halt at the foot of them. Snape had already told and there were horror filled looks on all the faces before him. "Professor, it wasn't Snape's fault, I provoked him. I shouldn't have said what wasn't true! I believe Voldemort made him," Harry said only loudly enough not to disturb Mrs. Black. He really still didn't know why he was defending the man. It was possibly the thought that he'd rather have Snape on the Order's side than Voldemort's.

"Potter please. The Dark Lord has nothing to do with what I did to you," surprisingly Snape's words were far from harsh.

Everyone was probably going to all have heart attacks over his next words, but it was that simple, he wouldn't allow Snape to return to Voldemort. "If you turn Professor Snape away because of one unintentional slip up, then you have to turn me away as well. I've helped Lord Voldemort become more powerful," Harry stood like stone in front of the horror struck faces before him. Harry could clearly hear Voldemort's last words echoing through his head as he took in all there faces. '_Yes Potter, fuel my power…'_

"Why Harry?"

Tears nearly came to Harry's eyes at Dumbledore's harsh words and the anger in the old man's eyes. If it had been, how, or what, or any other question Harry's reaction would have been completely different. But the question was 'why', and it made Harry painfully aware that Dumbledore had lost all trust in him, all faith. Harry shook his head slightly at the question and tried desperately to keep his anger and regret in check. But it was no use, thanks to Voldemort all he wanted to do was lash out at the man, and the air around him crackled with magic before he managed to rein it back.

Harry took a very deep breath in and then let it out heavily. "Everyone get out, I wish to speak with Dumbledore alone." No one moved and this just fueled Harry's anger more. Now that Harry was aware of it, he could feel that he was indeed giving Voldemort more power. He could feel it draining out of him, and the Dark Lord was relishing in it. This made Harry immediately calm, like a light switch, he clicked off his emotions, but he knew he wouldn't be able to make it last as he felt Voldemort's anger not just through his emotions but through his scar. Harry closed his eyes against the burst of pain, that made his eyes water.

"Professor I can see that you no longer trust me. I'm not intentionally helping Voldemort, but I am just the same," Harry didn't explain further, the strain was nearing unbearable as he fought to keep his and the Dark Lord's anger under control. Harry's eyes snapped open. Dumbledore couldn't help him with this, and Harry knew that he was going to regret it, but Snape could. "Professor Snape, may I speak with you a moment, alone?" Harry asked amazingly monotonously. He didn't remove his eyes from Dumbledore, the man Harry once looked up to, but no more.

Snape looked from Harry to Dumbledore and then back again. "Certainly Mr. Potter," he said very quietly and then left the entrance hall towards the kitchen.

"We'll discus this later when I've had time to calm down," Harry briefly told Dumbledore with strain in his voice, and then he left with everyone gapping at him and followed Snape. He had no intensions of explaining anything to Dumbledore, at least any time soon.

Harry walked into the kitchen and closed the door behind him. He paced back and forth several times in front of Snape, for what ever reason the anger was lessening now that he was no longer in the presence of Dumbledore. He couldn't believe that he was going to ask for Snape's help. But he had made up his mind. "I have to tell you, and let me finish before you comment. I don't trust you, I never have. I don't know if I ever will, but I do trust that you will not go back to the Dark Lord. At least without ample reason," Harry paused a moment but Snape remained quiet. "There are things I have to tell you and there are things I'm going to need your help with. Before I reveal everything to you, I need to know, will you help me? And… and will you not tell Professor Dumbledore?"

After several minutes of silence from Snape, who was standing with his hands behind his back and staring at Harry intently, Harry was about to threaten him with the reminder that he had just saved him, but Snape spoke first, very quietly. "Yes, Harry, to both yes, but why? Why would you want my help? I very well could have killed you this morning. And I admit I wanted to," Snape's honesty shocked Harry, almost as much as his potion's professor using his first name.

"But you didn't," Harry said quietly. "Voldemort told me that he controlled you, and I'm going to believe that you wouldn't have used the Cruciatus Curse on me otherwise," Snape opened his mouth as if to protest but closed it again as Harry kept speaking. "You're the only one who I think will help me with this. Might as well have a seat, what I'm about to reveal to you is going to make you need one," Harry said with a heavy sigh and waited until Snape took a seat at the table and then Harry sat down across from him. After a long moment of watching Snape stare back at him, Harry finally spoke. "Has Professor Dumbledore told you the Prophecy?"

"No, he did tell me that it involved you and the Dark Lord, but I already knew that," Snape said as he clasped his hands together on top of the table. "I'd advise not telling it to me though. The Dark Lord has ways to get into the minds of his Death Eaters."

Harry shook his head. "It doesn't matter. He's going to know soon enough anyways. He's going to know all soon enough. Our link has been strengthened, and is still strengthening. I'll admit that it is my fault. I should have just learned Occlumency while you were trying to teach me," Harry scoffed at his own words and a slight smirk hit his lips. Harry looked at his hands and took a deep breath as the smirk left his face. Harry swallowed hard before he continued. "I'll tell you the gist of the Prophecy, as it's pointless to say the entire thing. I am the only one with the power to kill Lord Voldemort," Harry said this with little emotion in his voice and he let Snape take in his statement before he continued. "Lord Voldemort has been gaining power through my negative emotions, which has been a lot as of late. I can not tell you exactly what I am learning at this time because…" Harry thought about it a moment as he bit his lip in bewilderment and then continued with a slight laugh in his voice. "Well, I don't know why. I just can't. I can tell you that it is very powerful and if I continue on with my training, someday there may be a glimmer of hope that I can defeat him. But that is the problem. Voldemort has also found a way to control my emotions, and he enhances them with his own. You saw what I did the other night, I could not control both of our emotions and it made me use the magic I am learning, I could have hurt someone…"

Harry looked down to the table a moment and then looked up with a stern resolve on his face. "I have found a potion that will allow me not to feel any emotion, but I can't get all the ingredients."

"I have never heard of such a potion, where did you find it?" Snape asked, his expression was masked but Harry knew that his thoughts were in turmoil. Given the information, anyone's would be.

"The potion book you saw me with earlier, McGonagall didn't give it to me. Before you ask, it doesn't matter where I got it," Harry added. He didn't want any questions about Merlin's Diaries at the moment.

"What are the ingredients that you can not obtain?" Snape asked after a moment.

"Unicorn blood," Harry said lightly and Snape's brow furrowed, "and the blood of a Vampire."

Snape stood up immediately. "What kind of potion book is this Potter? Those ingredients are only used for…"

"Dark Magic, I know," Harry stood up too. "Look, if I show you the book, will you help me?"

"I already said I would, but I would like to see this book."

"Fine, come with me, it's in my room." Harry walked out of the kitchen with Snape hard on his heels, he was now wondering if he had done the right thing in asking for Snape's help. Snape seemed a little too eager. But he had no choice. He couldn't get the ingredients on his own.

After climbing the stairs to his and Ron's room, Harry opened the door and found that Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Fred and George, were all there sitting on his and Ron's beds. Harry ignored their questioning stares and went to his trunk. He spun the three small sets of numbers on the combination lock. Six, three, zero, and the latches opened with a small click. Harry lifted the lid only enough to grab the book and then he closed the lid again and relocked it. It had been Hagrid's ingenious idea to get a lock on his trunk that could be locked without magic but was also magic resistant. In the last five years at Hogwarts, Harry had never had to use the lock, but he was now glad that Hagrid had suggested it. He'd have to remember to thank him.

Harry turned back to Snape and handed him the fat black covered book. "That's it."

Snape took it and turned it over in his hands, obviously looking for an author and a title. He opened it and flipped through the first few pages with awe in his eyes. "Amazing, I've never seen most of these combinations before. Most would never attempt them because of the mixtures of ingredients… I can see though how they'd work. Where did get this?"

"A friend is all you need to know," Harry flipped to the page with the potion on it. He pointed halfway down the page. "That's the potion. Can you get the ingredients?"

Snape's eyes widened as he looked back up to Harry. "If you take too much of this…"

"I know the consequences Professor. I'm willing to do just about anything to stop Voldemort from gaining anymore power through me," Harry took the book back and closed it with a loud thud. "I'll read through the rest of the book, if I can find another potion, I'll use it. But honestly Professor, I don't think there is one… Can you get the ingredients or not?" Harry asked again after a brief pause.

"Yes, but it'll take some time," Snape said, "and you'll have to be watched while under the initial effects of it. I know you don't want to tell Professor Dumbledore, but I suggest you do."

Harry shook his head. "No, he'll want to know where I got the book and I can't tell him."

Snape ran his hand over his face and Harry could tell that he was starting to get slightly angry. "Fine Potter, but it's on your head if something goes wrong with this, and I'm not going to help you make the potion."

"Fine with me," Harry said keeping his voice calm.

"You do realize that this will also take away your sense of right and wrong?"

"Yes," Harry nodded and Snape left the room mumbling something that sounded like, '_what have you gotten me into Potter?'_'

Harry closed the door behind Snape and then turned to his friend's confused and worried faces. They also all looked extremely curious. Harry had to tell them something, but he didn't know what or where to start. He didn't want to burden them with the Prophecy, and he wasn't about to tell them about Merlin's Diaries, for apparently he couldn't. But still he had to tell them something and he took in a deep breath and opened his mouth to begin with what he was sure would be mostly lies.

A/N: Snape - '_What have you gotten me into Potter_?' What has Harry gotten himself into?


	9. Diaries from the Past

_Snape leaves, presumably to obtain the ingredients for the potion. Harry continues on with his training and has an unexpected run in with the new Minister of Magic and something is revealed about the Diaries._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Nine- Diaries from the Past…

Harry stopped on a corner to catch his breath as he nervously looked over his shoulder for the umpteenth time. _Bloody hell Harry, get a grip, if there really were Death Eaters following you, they would have tried to kill you by now, wouldn't they?_ Harry told himself this in his head for the fifth time that morning. The sun was just starting to show itself over Muggle London as Harry started to jog slowly back the way he came. Harry had already run twice of what he was supposed to run that morning, and he still had a long run back. But he had already missed several days of training and he was trying to catch himself up. Besides, being out in the fresh morning air was very invigorating, and it lifted his spirits in a way being at Grimmauld Place, even with his friends there, never could.

With Hermione and the twins now at Grimmauld Place, it had been practically impossible to get out of the house, let alone find a moment to sit and read any of the Diaries. He had slipped away under his invisibility cloak a couple of times to continue his reading, mostly in the peace of the Black Family Library, but every time he found himself alone, one of his friends would find him, invisibility cloak or not. Harry had managed to read through the entire Potions book, and though he found it interesting, in truth he had been glad to be finished with it. Fawkes had managed to bring him two more Diaries, one while he was oddly sitting alone in the Parlor, and the second, while he was in the bathroom. It appeared that Fawkes was getting just as frustrated with finding a time when Harry was alone as Harry was with trying to find alone time.

Harry had thought that with the arrival of Hermione, Fred, and George that he would gain some allies against the adults that appeared to truly believe that he was practicing Dark Magic. Order members were constantly at Grimmauld Place, 'keeping an eye on him.' Honestly, the Order of the Phoenix had been created to help fight against Voldemort, not baby sit a near sixteen year-old boy.

After Ron and Ginny had told Hermione about Harry leaving the house and about him possibly learning Dark Magic, which Harry had denied multiple times. Hermione had started to be even more watchful then Snape or the Order had been. She had somehow convinced the twins, Ron and Ginny to join her.

Though Harry still loathed the man, he had to thank him. Amazingly Snape seemed to side with Harry, though he didn't do anything to convince the others that he wasn't practicing Dark Magic. Snape had left early that morning again for the fourth time. Harry hoped that he was leaving in search of the ingredients Harry would need for the Potion. So far, with each day that he had left and returned, he came back without the ingredients.

Harry was becoming anxious, he had no idea where Snape had gone that morning because Snape Apparated the moment he stepped foot on the sidewalk in front of Grimmauld Place. Why he didn't just Apparate from inside the house, as he normally did, Harry couldn't guess, but it allowed him to slip out of the house under his invisibility cloak for the first time in days. Hopefully, no one would be the wiser about his sudden disappearance, everyone had been asleep anyways. He wasn't quite sure how he was going to get back in yet, but he'd figure that out when he got back. He was just happy to be outside again.

Harry ran his fingers through his sweat-drenched hair and looked up to a sign swaying in the early morning breeze, just as he was passing a ratty looking tavern. Harry's eyes widened as he realized where he was, and he cursed himself for not remembering to run on the other side of the street. The Leaky Cauldron loomed over him and Harry swore as the door opened and several very business like Wizards walked out, right into his path. Harry immediately made sure his hair was covering his scar by flattening his fringe against his sweaty forehead. He kept his head low as he tried to pass. Hopefully with his lack of glasses, that oddly no one at Grimmauld place seemed to question, they wouldn't recognize him. The men, at first, didn't take any notice of him, probably because with the exception of his wand poking out of his side pocket of his running sweats, he looked very much like a Muggle. After all, of them had passed, one of them stopped and grabbed his arm and spun him around. Even his lengthening sweat induced hair couldn't hide his scar as the breeze blew his bangs off of his forehead.

"Merlin's sake Potter, what are you doing here?" Harry didn't recognize the tall light haired Wizard who had latched onto him and was suddenly pushing him into the Leaky Cauldron.

Harry tried to get free by walking away, as if he didn't know what the man was talking about, "Potter? Who's that? Really, don't know what you're talking about," but Harry found himself shoved into a chair.

"Stay there," The man said forcefully. "Lyndira, if you would, please Floo Albus Dumbledore."

A dark haired, skinny witch walked around from behind him to the fireplace without even asking 'why'.

"I shall join you later gentlemen, I have to have a little chat with young Mr. Potter," the Wizard called to the men who were starting to file back in through the door. The Wizards immediately nodded and turned back around and left the tavern. They all gave Harry curious stares as they disappeared.

Harry made to stand up but was immediately pushed back down. "Please, Sir, he doesn't know I'm here. If you would just let me go…"

"I think not Potter," The Wizard cut him off abruptly but held his hand up to the witch that was just about to throw a hand full of Floo Powder into the fireplace, "one moment Lyndira."

"What were you thinking, Harry?" The Wizard asked abruptly.

"I…"

"Apparently you were not, never mind that. Why are you away from Grimmauld Place? And where are your guard?" The man said very quietly, as not to be over heard by the people that were now starting to stare at them.

Harry noticed Tom the bar keep starting to walk in their direction, but the witch got in his way. Harry looked up to the man's eyes. "I'm sorry Sir, but that's none of your business," Harry said very softly, but with a hint of anger in his voice. "And how do you know about Grimmauld Place?"

"It certainly is my business, boy, Voldemort's Death Eaters could be anywhere, and you could have gotten you're self…"

"Killed?" Harry couldn't stop the laugh that escaped him, and he clamped his hand over his mouth. _Damn Voldemort and his emotions,_ Harry thought.

"You think its funny Potter?" The Wizard asked with not a hint of anger in his voice, but possibly amusement?

"Y-No! Who are you anyways?" Harry asked more loudly then he should have and looked at the man with annoyance. If it hadn't been for him, he wouldn't have been caught.

"Luminous Friedens, Minister of Magic," the man held out his hand to him but Harry just stared at it.

Harry had to catch himself from letting his mouth hang open too long. "How, what happened to Fudge?"

"Unfortunately, he proved very inept for the job, went quite mad, actually. We just appointed Minister Friedens just a few days ago," the witch, Lyndira, said as she gave Harry a smile. "It's been in the Prophet. Don't you read it?"

Harry didn't return the smile, he just looked blankly at her for a moment, before Luminous interrupted, with the clearing of his throat. Harry looked back to him. "As for Grimmauld Place, I have been there for countless Order meeting."

"Oh, you're part of Dumbledore's Order," Harry said quietly and then grumbled, "No doubt you side with the rest of the adults trying to control my life," Harry was beginning to resent the Order of the Phoenix.

"About the Dark Magic?" Luminous raised his light eyebrow and there appeared to be a mischievous twinkle in the man's blue eyes.

"Yeah, the Dark Magic," Harry said slowly looking at the man with a mixture of annoyance and skepticism.

Luminous just smiled at Harry, grabbed him by the collar, and pulling him up from his chair, pushed him towards the back of the tavern, and out into the familiar alley behind the Leaky Cauldron, with Lyndira following. Oddly enough the tavern had been quite empty and only a few eyes followed them out. Luminous took out his wand and tapped at the stones.

"You Mr. Potter don't know what Dark Magic is, and neither does Albus if he's convinced that the magic you seem to be getting so adept at is Dark," Luminous pushed Harry into Diagon Alley and towards the closest building from the back of the Leaky Cauldron.

Harry had no choice but to go where the man moved him. "Magic? How would you know the magic I use isn't dark?"

"Harry, Harry, had I been any other Order Member you'd be facing Albus Dumbledore as we speak, but I'm not. I'll tell you how I know the magic you are learning isn't dark, but first we must be someplace where we won't be over heard." Luminous put his hand on Harry's shoulder and steered him through a small wood door and up a steep set of stairs. They rounded a corner and went down a dark narrow hallway with Lyndira still on their heels. Harry was starting to get slightly nervous until they moved through a doorway and out into a large brightly sun lit room that had a huge window overlooking Diagon Alley.

The view was breathtaking, but Harry was too anxious for answers and he turned on the new Minister with an impatient scowl. "Well?"

"Scowls don't become you Mr. Potter, sit down," Luminous said with a smile.

Harry looked around the room, which was empty and raised an eyebrow at the man. "Where, there aren't any chairs?"

Luminous looked around. "Right, right, used to having Albus here, sorry about that. He always seems to want his own chair so I figured, why bother with furniture at all." He waved his wand and conjured three very comfortable looking high backed armchairs and took a seat in one, as he motioned for Harry to sit in the one across from him. Lyndira took the third chair and smiled at Harry with a very mischievous grin.

"Are you going to tell me why you think the magic I'm practicing isn't dark?" Harry asked again with his arms crossed over his chest.

Luminous leaned forward in his chair. "Because, I'm the reason you're learning it."

Harry stood up very abruptly. "What? You're the one sending me Merlin's Diaries?" Harry's mouth nearly hung open as he realized that he was able to say anything about the Diaries.

"Right in one Harry, brilliant idea of me, wasn't it, sending Fawkes? But they're not just Merlin's Diaries they're mine. Now sit down so I can tell you how I came across the Diaries and why I chose to give them to you."

Harry did as he was instructed, but throughout the entire explanation, which took well into an hour, Harry remained on the edge of his seat, listening to every word intently. Harry learned that Luminous had found the diaries when he was nineteen, behind a hidden wall, deep down below his castle home in a chamber that not even his grandparents knew existed. When he had ventured down into the chamber he had come across a wood podium in front of a large iron door and on the podium there was a piece of blank parchment. Luminous had picked it up to see if there was anything on the other side when words started to appear, it was a simple phrase in Latin that he new well, as it had been written across the entry way to his home. '_Sino Omnis Quidnam Requiro Scientia, Lucrum Potestas_.' 'Allow All Who Seek Knowledge, Gain Power.' After he had read the words, the door had disappeared to reveal the small library of books. Inside there was another letter from four of his ancestors. The letter explained that the books and this letter would only be readable to one who needed the books but had no intension of using them for evil purposes. It was like the letter and books could read his intensions in his mind like he read the letter. Luminous had discovered through the letter that the books had belonged to only four of his ancestors prior to him, as each had signed the letter before returning the books to the hidden vault, and one of those ancestors had been Merlin himself.

"As only those that were meant to read the diaries could see the writing in them, my last ancestor decided to seal the room and charmed it to only open the next time someone who was worthy to read the books came along. Imagine my surprise and delight that I was the next of my family to be able to use the diaries, and use them I did. I had just started my Auror training and the spells I learned from the books had been my leg up, as I had been quite far behind the others, and had barely gotten into the program to begin with. When I had learned about the prophecy from Dumbledore, I decided that you'd probably need the knowledge more then I, and I figured it was time to pass the diaries on. I've already learned all I can from them. But it takes a very powerful Wizard to use all of that knowledge as it was meant to be used. Harry I think that you're a powerful Wizard, or with a bit of training could definitely be one. As you can most certainly read the diaries you are meant to have them," Luminous was beaming at Harry's shocked face.

Harry didn't know what to say, the fact that he had read the diaries was proof enough that Luminous was telling him the truth. It was hard to imagine that the books in someway had been meant for him, but he was certainly grateful that they were. Without the knowledge that he gained from the books he knew that he would never stand a chance against Voldemort.

Because after a few minutes of silence, Harry still didn't know what to say, he simply said in a small voice, "Thanks."

Luminous chucked and leaned forward and tousled up Harry's already messy hair. "No problem kid. I know that you've already taken in a lot of information today, but there is something else to the diaries that I think you should know and may find interesting. Not all of the books have aloud me to read them. In fact three that I have sent to you have remained blank to me."

"But I've read all of the ones that you've sent me, what's that mean Sir? How is it that I can read them and you can't?" Harry asked.

"I'm not quiet sure yet. I'll have to look into your family background a bit more, and we'll have to see how far you get in the books before you can't read them anymore. However, I can tell you this; the last one of my ancestors that was able to read all of the diaries, was a direct descendant of Merlin, and the only one in my family," Luminous explained.

"Are you saying that I could be a direct descendant of Merlin?" Harry looked at Luminous quizzically. Wasn't it enough that he was destined to be the one to defeat Voldemort?

"I'm saying that it's possible," Luminous looked at his watch as he said this and then stood up abruptly. "My goodness, look at the time, I apologize Harry, I've kept you here entirely too long, people will be noticing you gone by now."

Harry stood up and shrugged. "Well if I'm already missed, I might as well get some shopping done before I leave Diagon Alley."

"Absolutely not, you should not be away from Grimmauld Place as it is," Lyndira objected.

Harry threw his arms up in the air in frustration and annoyance and began to loudly rant. "Great another adult in my life, who thinks they know what's best for me. Really, you call me a powerful Wizard, tell me I could be a descendent of Merlin, don't you think that I can take care of myself? I mean I've been running and doing my other training exercises at Privet Drive without so much a peep from Voldemort, why doesn't anyone think I can do the same at Grimmauld Place, I mean it's not really like anyone knows I'm there…"

"Harry," Luminous interjected but Harry didn't notice, he was now mumbling his rant.

"I'm probably just as powerful, if not more so then half the order… so what if the magic is different then there's, and they think it's dark… so what if Voldemort's trying to control me… so what if…"

"Harry if I have to curse you," Harry's head snapped up at Luminous' words and looked wide eyed to where he pointed at a growing blue orb that was floating just to the right of Harry. "Rather not have my flat blown up, thank you very much."

Harry refocused his concentration and the orb dissipated. "Sorry, tend to do that when I get assaulted with emotions. I am working on that, though."

"I see now why Dumbledore thinks you're using Dark Magic. That lovely blue orb is very destructive," Luminous got a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Fun though, if you can learn to control it. I had a blast blowing up pieces of stone when I learned it. I am surprised that you show such control over it though. I was never able to hold the magic very long with out it shooting out to find the nearest thing to destroy. Blew up half of Lyndira's bedroom once, she never did forgive me for destroying her dolls."

Lyndira just rolled her eyes and shook her head. "May I remind you brother that you still owe me for the cost of the dolls, a little over a hundred Galleons."

"What? The last time they were only fifty."

"That was ten years ago Luminous, I believe you owe me interest now as well," Lyndira smiled and then laughed at the dismayed look on her brother's face. Harry couldn't help but laugh as well.

"All right, fine, I'll go to Gringotts right now and transfer the galleons into your account." Luminous turned on his heal and vanished all of the chairs as he did. Lyndira jumped up just in time and Harry steadied himself as he had been leaning on the back of one at the time. "Come Harry, if you're going to go shopping, you'll need to be visiting you vault," Luminous said with a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face as he passed him to the door.

Harry looked wide-eyed at the Wizard until the man turned back around. "You're going to let me go shopping?"

"Certainly, but only because it is your birthday and I know for a fact that Molly Weasley is planning a party for you. It's supposed to be a surprise, but why not surprise her and come back with a whole new wardrobe," Luminous looked up to Harry's hair and frowned, "and maybe a hair cut."

A/N: Hope you liked the chapter and I hope you like the new Minister, I hadn't initially planned on making a new minister but Luminous and Lyndira Friedens kind of popped into my head one night, and there they were. That and I needed to reveal where the Diaries were coming from eventually and Luminous seemed the perfect person.


	10. Fleeting Freedom

_Harry gets to have some long awaited freedom and fun for the morning in Diagon Alley. Harry finds out some information that will change Harry's opinion of his once respected headmaster, and gets a great shock that could change his life forever._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Ten- Fleeting Freedom

Harry smiled a genuine smile; he was definitely going to get along with this new Minister of Magic. He was the complete opposite of Fudge, and it made Harry wonder how he had gotten appointed the position. Harry shrugged the thought away, he didn't know anything about politics and he'd like to keep it that way.

Though Harry had no intension of cutting his hair, he was just beginning to like it, a new wardrobe sounded great. He really did wish that he had clothes that actually fit him. Though getting new clothes was now a top priority for the morning trip into Diagon Alley, what he really had in mind when he mentioned shopping; was going to the cauldron shop, the bookstore, and the apothecary. He needed a new cauldron and a special type for the Vampirism Potion. He needed to stalk up on his everyday Potion ingredients, and he wanted to pick up a book on Occlumency and Legilimency. Harry was now determined to find out exactly how Voldemort was getting into his head and he was going to finally put a stop to it.

Harry looked to Lyndira who simply rolled her eyes at her brother but didn't make any objections to them spending some of the morning in Diagon Alley. "Very well, I'll see the two of you _boys_ in an hour, in Flourish and Blotts. Try not to make Harry's presence too well known. Having Voldemort make an appearance in Diagon Alley would not be good… Or worse, Dumbledore," Lyndira visibly gulped.

"Yes Albus would probably skin us both alive if he knew we had his little savior out of his protective cage," Luminous snorted.

Harry's features darkened slightly. "What Professor Dumbledore doesn't seem to understand, is that my life is my own. I realize that what he is trying to do is protect me, but all he is doing is suffocating me," Harry voiced his opinion loudly. "I never asked for his protection." If only he could explain the magic he was learning to Dumbledore, perhaps his leash would be loosened. That brought Harry to another thought. "Luminous, why can't I tell Dumbledore about Merlin's Diaries, he's one of the most powerful Wizards in the world, shouldn't he be able to see the Diaries as well?"

Luminous nodded, "Good question Harry. I already tested him. Dumbledore couldn't even see the first of the Diaries. They just appeared blank to him. I had thought, he of all people should be able to read them, but he is not meant to have them, or know of them. I think it's because he learned Dark Magic."

Harry looked to the man with astonishment and disbelief in his eyes. "Professor Dumbledore used Dark Magic?"

"Uses Harry, I thought that you were aware of this." Harry shook his head numbly. "Most of the spells and wards that protect you, and Hogwarts for that matter, are rooted in Dark Magic."

Anger seeped into Harry's mind. How could Dumbledore be angry with him for using what he thought was Dark Magic when Dumbledore himself practiced Dark Magic? "_Hypocrite_," Harry whispered. Harry's anger disappeared almost immediately. He was not going to let this news hinder his trip into Diagon Alley. In fact, he was going to have fun, just to spite Dumbledore. Harry plastered a smile on his face. "Well, what are we waiting for, Minister, I've got an entire wardrobe to buy, and," Harry gave Lyndira a wink, "an hour in which to do so."

Luminous hesitated for only a moment and then with a smile and a pat on the back, led Harry out of the loft, down the stairs, and out into Diagon Alley, towards Gringotts. It had been quite a while since Harry had been back, and ten minutes later they were speeding through the tunnels of Gringotts towards Harry's volt. The goblin that escorted them, Harry recognized as the same one that had brought him to his vault the first time. Griphook had Harry hold the lantern as he used his own set of keys to open Harry's vault. Though Harry didn't have his key with him, as he hadn't expected to need it, Harry learned that Gringotts kept a spare key and all he had to do was prove that he was who he claimed to be, which wasn't hard. Not many people have a lightning bolt shaped scar on their forehead.

Harry entered into his vault and his jaw dropped open in amazement. There was at least, twice the amount of gold in his vault then there had been the previous time he had seen it. He turned to Griphook and the bank goblin seemed to know what Harry was about to ask.

He pointed to the wall beside the door, a lit lantern hung over a shelf where a couple of pieces of paper lay. "I believe that your answer will lie with that," the goblin said.

Harry walked over to the parchments and tears started to fill his eyes as he picked them up and read.

_Dear Harry,_

_Since you are reading this then I must be gone from this life. Believe me when I say that I wish that the two of us could have gotten to know each other more. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. I suppose that because I am dead now that keeping secrets would be pointless, and I believe that you should know all the secrets that everyone, especially Albus Dumbledore, has tried to keep from you for so long. _

_Your parents had left Dumbledore as your guardian if anything were to ever happen to me. But what I never got the chance to tell you is that I have always disagreed with everything he has ever done concerning you. Dumbledore may be a good man at heart, with good intensions; but though he may be a powerful Wizard, he is far from the wisest. He has kept much from you and I am going to tell you all that he has not revealed, as I know it. Be mindful that he has kept much from me as well, but I now believe, what he has told me, is true._

_First Harry, the most serious of the secrets Albus Dumbledore's been keeping from you. There was a Prophecy made by Sybil Trelawney about you and Voldemort. It was made shortly before you were born. It is the weapon that the Order of the Phoenix_ _has been guarding all year. Though I really doubt that they know what it fully contains. _

'_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies. And the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not. And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.'_

_If it hasn't dawned on you by now, and you're quite smart, so it probably has. It clearly states that you must either kill Voldemort or be killed by him. I am truly sorry, and believe me that it took months for me to accept it. I can only imagine what effect it will have on you. If you ask Dumbledore, I am sure that he will let you see the Prophecy as he had shown it to me, through his pensive. He cannot keep something from you that you already know about._

_Now that you are probably reeling from the information above, I must reveal something to you that even Albus Dumbledore is not aware of. James Potter, your father, is alive…_

Harry dropped the letter as if it had burned him. He took several steps backwards away from it as his heart started to pound and his breath came in shallow gasps. "It's not possible," Harry whispered with a quiver in his voice and his eyes started to sting with tears, _it couldn't be_.

Luminous' voice snapped him out of his shocked state. "Harry, are you alright?" Luminous asked with concern.

"No," Harry answered truthfully, for the first time all summer, without looking at Luminous. He was still staring at the letter as if it was going to attack him. He walked nervously back to the letter and picked it up to continue reading, maybe he had imagined it. _Yeah that was right, it was his imagination playing tricks on him. It was something he wanted to happen so…_ Harry picked the letter back up and a feeling that hadn't graced his presence in a while, slowly started to fill him. Hope seeped into his heart and tears started to freely fall.

…_James Potter, your father, is alive. I know that this must come as a great shock to you. I did want to tell you sooner, but your father insisted that we wait. I did have plans of telling you on you sixteenth birthday, but obviously I was not able to. I am sure that you are expecting me to tell you how to find James, but I'm not going to at his request. He has been in hiding, not just for your safety but also for his own. Your father was once offered the opportunity to become a Death Eater. No, I can't keep this from you, James was offered three times to be Voldemort's right hand man, his most trusted servant. I can't lie to you Harry; your father wasn't the most pleasant man alive when he was younger. He was down right ruthless and powerful; which is why Voldemort favored him. But Lily turned him around; she was even the one that brought him to the Order. Yes, thank the gods for your mother. Had she not been there for us, who knows what would have happened to us. Joined up with Voldemort the lot of us probably would have. Harry I beg you, do not go looking for him. When he feels the time is right, he will find you. Until then it would put you both in a huge amount of danger._

_You must be strong, not for Dumbledore or the Wizarding World but for yourself. Don't let Dumbledore continue to treat you like you are the last hope for the world, just because of some prophecy, you are not. You are just one man defeating one Dark Lord. As long as there is Dark Magic and prejudice in the world there will always be a Dark Lord. The time will come one day for the prophecy to be fulfilled, but until that time comes, live life the way you were meant to, and don't dwell on the lives that were lost because of a war that has been raging since long before you were born. Lives will be lost in this war Harry, but it is far from your fault, so do not blame yourself._

_Lastly, and to the point, this is my Will and will be carried out automatically upon my death. I have left you the Black Family fortune, along with the house, as I do not need them anymore and I cannot stomach my vile cousin obtaining any of it. Remus has also been given a portion as have the Weasley's but the majority has gone to you so do with it what you will. I hope you spend the fortune on all your heart's desires as you deserve every bit of it._

_Though I never really got the chance to know you Harry, I love you as if you were my own son. Do not let this prophecy control the way you live your life. Your parents wanted so much more for you then to see you lock yourself away just to keep yourself safe from the harms of the world. I want more for you then the life I have lived. It is not enough to simply live you have to have fun doing it. But don't go looking for Danger it already has a knack for finding you, you don't need to help it any. Oh, I also have to tell you that Remus does not know about your father, again this was James' decision not to tell him. You may tell him if you wish, but if you do, remind him not to go looking for him, and make sure you're not overheard._

_And one more thing; in my closet there is a surprise for you, the password is Kreacher. (Don't ask.)_

_Love from all of us here on the other side,_

_Sirius_

_P.S. Cut out and burn all parts related to James._

Harry shakily picked up the letter and folded it and put it in his pocket. He wiped his eyes dry and then turned to the awaiting Griphook and Luminous, a small smile coming to his lips. _My father is alive_, Harry thought. "Thank you for pointing out the letter," he told Griphook.

The goblin nodded and handed Harry a small leather pouch. "I noticed that you do not have one of these. It is an easier way to obtain your funds then coming back to your vault every time you need to make a withdrawal."

Harry took the black pouch and looked inside it, it was empty. "I don't understand."

A smile came to Luminous' face. "It is enchanted to allow you to withdraw straight from your vault, all you have to do is tell it how much you need and it will provide it. It will also only work for you, so if it is ever stolen or lost, others can not use it."

"Most Wizards your age who have a vault here already have one. The only reason you have not been given one before now is because they are only offered to Wizards over the age of sixteen," Griphook explained before leaving Harry in his vault.

Harry looked at the small pouch. He supposed it was a Wizard's equivalent of a Muggle credit card. He remembered Dudley coming home with one at the beginning of the summer. He had waved it around as if it were gold. Harry put the pouch in his pocket and turned back to his vault for a moment, thinking that he could never possibly run out of money now. He followed Griphook out and into the awaiting cart where Luminous sat patiently. They were on their way to Luminous' vault when Luminous commented with mocked misery, trying to keep from laughing, on how rich Harry was and how dismal his vault was going to look after seeing Harry's. Harry couldn't keep from smiling to himself after that, which made Luminous grumble about it even more.

As they emerged from the extensive bank and into the brightly sunlit morning, Harry looked around Diagon Alley. The streets were not packed as they had been the last time he was there. It was still early and Harry supposed that it was much busier during the last week leading up to the start of school. Harry found himself wondering briefly whether or not his father was there, somewhere is Diagon Alley, watching him. He was thrown out of his thoughts by Luminous who was saying his name over and over.

"Harry, Harry, Harry," Luminous kept muttering.

"What?" Harry finally asked with a laugh in his voice.

"Finally, back to earth, I asked you, where you wanted to go first," Luminous replied with a mocked exasperated tone.

Harry told Luminous what other stops he needed to make, and they both agreed that Madam Malkin's would be their first stop. It didn't take Harry long to get measured for new robes, and he discovered that he had grown several inches and really did need the new robes, as he doubted that he would fit into his old ones. Harry also picked out some everyday robes that he could wear into Hogsmeade, and after Harry had told Luminous about the Potion, he was going to make, Luminous convince Harry to get a set of robes specifically designed for Potion making. Luminous also egged Harry into getting some new dress robes. Though Harry doubted he'd need them. He picked out a deep burgundy dress robe with gold trim and an emerald green dress robe that really brought out the color of his eyes. They made them appear as if they were glowing.

The witch that waited on them told them that they could pick up his robes in a half an hour, and Harry and Luminous made their way to the apothecary. After that, the cauldron shop, and then to a few other places that Harry was very interested in. Including, Quality Quidditch Supplies, where Harry picked up the newest Quidditch guide for Ron, and a practiced Snitch for himself. Before returning to Madam Malkin's to retrieve Harry's robes, they stopped in a small shop that housed some of the most bazaar objects Harry had ever seen.

Luminous bought a rather interesting looking object that he explained to Harry was the last of a collectors set that he had been trying to hunt down for the past three years. He didn't tell Harry what the small green and gold object was, but Harry soon lost interest when he spotted what could only be a pensive; but it was much smaller then the one Dumbledore and Snape used, and there was an unmistakable ash colored phoenix engraved into the side of it.

"Sir, is that a pensive?" Harry asked the clerk just to be sure.

"Yes, yes it is, but it's a very special pensive that one is," the clerk said with a gruff voice and a twinkle in his eye.

"How so, Sir?" asked Harry curiously.

"Well, it's very old, isn't it? Though I've never tried it myself, the person who sold it to me said that it will store all memories but happy ones. He was very disgusted with the thing actually."

Harry looked at the pensive for a moment and with out even so much as thinking about the cost, Harry said, "I'll take it."

Twenty minutes later and exactly a half hour past the time when they said that they were going to meet Lyndira; Luminous and Harry, now laden with packages and bags, most of which held his new robes, walked into Flourish and Blotts. With a quick hello to Lyndira and a dropping of his things at Luminous' feet by the door, Harry made his way to the clerk. He asked for everything on his book list, plus a couple other books he had heard Hermione talking about getting, and also asked for the most extensive book on Occlumency and Legilimency that they had. The clerk disappeared just as Luminous walked up behind him and asked him about the last book.

Harry turned to him. "Voldemort's getting into my head somehow and I'm certain that Legilimency and Occlumency has something to do with how he is doing it. The more I know about them, the more I'll know how to block him out of my mind," Harry explained this as if it were the most obvious thing in the world and then turned back just as the clerk returned.

The clerk dropped the books onto the counter with a thud. "I have just the Occlumency book for you young Mr. Potter, but it is going to take sometime to dig it out of storage out back. I can have it ready for you in twenty minutes if you'd like to come back then."

Harry nodded and then turned to Luminous. "There is a Muggle clothing store down the street from the Leaky Cauldron that I wanted to check out. I passed it on my way here. I should have enough time to get some new clothes if I hurry."

"Excellent idea, I was going to suggest that we go to a Muggle clothing store after here anyways. But Lyndira will have to take you. I have an errand I have to run, and Muggle clothing was never my specialty," Lyndira rolled her eyes at her brother with a smile on her face, and then ushered Harry quickly out of the store, leaving Harry's belongings with Luminous. Harry saw out of the corner of his eye, that Luminous was starting to try to pick up the lot, but suddenly as if remembering he was a Wizard, took out his wand and they incased in a bubble and then shrunk down to a pocket-sized cube.

Harry briefly thought that he really didn't need any minders, but he figured he was pushing his luck with being in Diagon Alley as it was. So he wasn't about to mention it. But he vowed that one day he wouldn't have to answer to anyone and he'd be able to do what he wanted, when he wanted.

Harry followed Lyndira back through the Leaky Cauldron and then down the street. No more then a block down the street and Harry spotted the clothing store he had passed that morning. It was then that he suddenly realized that he had no Muggle money and he looked to Lyndira in dismay. "I haven't got any Muggle money," he said with a frown etching into his face.

"You got your money pouch from Gringotts, did you not?" Harry nodded after Lyndira's question. "It will also supply you with Muggle funds; just ask for it in the specific currency."

A smile slowly came back to Harry's face and he looked over his shoulder briefly, before he entered into the store and was immediately overwhelmed with the amount of clothes there was to choose from. He hadn't thought that the store was this big when he had looked through the windows. Lyndira just laughed and then ushered Harry to the nearest shop attendant murmuring something about making Luminous wait for a change.

And they certainly did make him wait, almost forty-five minutes later, Harry and Lyndira walked back through the Leaky Cauldron, very much weighted down with bags. Harry silently tried to calculate how much money he had spent that morning in the Muggle shop alone. The attendant had been very pleased and practically begged him to come back again and bring all his friends with him.

Harry had also discarded the too big sweat pants and the too small t-shirt. He had been wearing that morning. Lyndira told the clerk at the clothing store that she could burn them for all they cared. Harry now sported, for the first time in his life, a pair of jeans, that actually fit, and a nice green button up shirt, which Lyndira had insisted looked smashing on him. He had also gotten himself two new pairs of cross trainers, one of which he was wearing, and some other nice shoes, including a pair of slippers in the Gryffindor colors. After much embarrassment, he even reluctantly agreed to get some new underwear but insisted that he was to do it on his own, without the attendant, or Lyndira hovering over his shoulder. He had hastily spent ten minutes alone doing so and was glad with what he picked out. He had even gotten some new socks as well.

Luminous was leaning against a wall reading a book, with Harry's belongings strewn around his feet, when Harry and Lyndira finally returned to Flourish and Blotts. Harry made his way to the clerk yet again dropping all of his bags at Luminous' feet as he went by.

Luminous gave him a perturbed look and rolled his eyes, but Harry ignored it with a smile.

The clerk took out his wand and levitated the book to him as Harry approached. "This will probably take you a good month to read," the Wizard said as he dropped the huge book beside his others and dust fluttered out of its pages.

It looked very old and it was thicker then over four of his school books combined, Harry only shrugged. "Probably only an hour," he said under his breath and the clerk, Luminous, and Lyndira, all stared at him. Harry held in a laugh and said, "That was a joke."

The clerk laughed and began wrapping up the book unaware that Harry had been completely serious. Harry paid for his books and was just adding them to his pile of stuff when he shrunk back from the window so fast that he nearly knocked over a display and Luminous in his rush to get out of sight. There was an entire search party in Diagon Alley. It consisted of nearly all of the Order of the Phoenix members he knew and a few he didn't. Harry mumbled a quick 'sorry' to Luminous who was now straitening himself, and reached into one of his bags. He was glad that he had thought of buying a new cloak just as they were leaving Madam Malkin's for the second time. Harry pulled out the black cloak and threw it around his shoulders.

"The Order's looking for me," he said calmly, even though he was angry that Dumbledore had sent a search party for him. He pointed towards the window as he pulled the hood up over his head, hiding his identifying features as well as he could.

Luminous peered out the window. "So they are and two of them are heading this way," Luminous chuckled, and then handed Harry his now cubed sized purchases. "Here put this in your pocket. Dumbledore's with them, but if you keep your hood up, and head down, we should be able to make it to the Leaky Cauldron without being spotted. We can Floo back to Grimmauld Place from there," Luminous was still chuckling as he made his way towards the door.

Harry pocketed his belongings, and after double-checking to make sure that his hood was covering his face, Harry followed Luminous and Lyndira out of the bookstore. "I can't believe that you're laughing when we are most certainly going to get caught," Harry whispered to Luminous as they were approached by Remus and Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"You mean you're going to get caught. I'm with the Minister of Magic. We claim ignorance, we never saw you, we didn't know you were here," Lyndira whispered back and then loudly called to Remus as she and Luminous walked away from him. "Remus what brings you to Diagon Alley today?"

'_Traitors,' _Harry thought as he rolled his eyes amusingly and moved away from them towards the Leaky Cauldron. He had to stifle a laugh as he passed Tonks undetected, her hair was the worst color he had ever seen it, almost a cross between neon orange and putrid green. He continued towards the Leaky Cauldron but suddenly found Professor Dumbledore right in his path. Harry sidestepped quickly to a storefront window, and pretended that he was looking at the contents inside, when he heard Snape's distinct sneer of a voice coming from almost directly beside him.

A/N: There for another chapter… Will Snape turn Harry in? Will Harry be caught be Professor Dumbledore?


	11. Birthday Surprises and Portrait Unglued

_Harry is caught by Dumbledore and unwillingly sent back to Grimmauld Place, where he has a grim encounter with a certain portrait and young Mr. Potter finally gets to have a birthday party._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Eleven- Birthday Surprises and Portrait Unglued

Harry swallowed back a curse as Snape stepped out from a small alcove beside the shop. "Mr. Potter," Snape said coldly as he moved to stand beside him.

"Professor," Harry acknowledged him quietly but kept looking at the window, not wishing to draw attention to himself.

"May I suggest that you turn yourself in," Snape said uncaringly and with a monotone voice as he too pretended that he was surveying the contents in the window. "Professor Dumbledore already knows that you are not hiding under your invisibility cloak somewhere in Grimmauld Place. Alastor found it in the bushes not too far down the street. I doubt that you will be seeing that garment for quite sometime. Professor Dumbledore was quite livid," Snape's sneer was evident in his sulky voice, and Harry also detected a hint of amusement.

Harry glared at Snape's hooded reflection for nearly a minute, the curiosity building up in him, before he turned on his Potions Professor with one question in his mind. "Why turn myself in, when you can do it for me?"

"As much as I would get extreme pleasure from turning you over to Professor Dumbledore; I think that it would be quite imprudent of me to turn you in, when I was the one that let you out this morning." Harry was about to protest that he had gotten out on his own just fine, when Snape interrupted him. "Come now Potter, you didn't really think that after the last time you left Grimmauld Place that they would simply allow you to just leave again. Professor Dumbledore is smarter then that, he put Wards up that would alert him the minute you opened the door. Why do you think I Apparated from outside? I allow you to follow me out, of course. You can thank me later."

Harry was speechless, shocked really, and only one question came into his mind and he voiced it almost too loudly. "Why?"

"To allow you to continue your training, of course, I must admit that I am slightly impressed by your dedication. I just wish that you showed such devotion when it comes to your Potions assignments, but perhaps I will see some improvement this year in class," Snape sneered.

Again Harry was shocked into silence, but he pushed passed it to clarify what he had heard, but before he had the chance Snape moved away, back into the small alcove he had come from and Harry turned around to be face to face with Dumbledore. Harry removed his hood and put a fake smile on his face as he looked up into the old Wizard's blue eyes.

"Morning Professor, what brings you to Diagon Alley this lovely day? Couldn't be that you were looking for me, could it?" Harry asked sarcastically. He knew that he shouldn't be so crass with his Headmaster but he couldn't help it. Every time he was in the man's presence, since the night that he had been told about the Prophecy, Harry just felt like blowing something up. Now that he had Sirius' views on Dumbledore floating around in his head, he couldn't help but wonder. If Sirius had never died, would Dumbledore have ever revealed the Prophecy to him?

Sirius obviously thought he wouldn't, or he wouldn't have mentioned it in the letter. Then there was the fact that his parents had trusted Dumbledore so implicitly, that they left him his guardian in Sirius' place. But Dumbledore had cast him off on the Dursley's where he was forced to live as a bullied servant for the last fifteen years of his life. His headmaster was obviously more concerned with keeping him alive then allowing him the chance to actually live.

It was then that it dawned on Harry, he had been partially holding the blame for Sirius' death on Snape's shoulders, but that wasn't fully where the blame should lie. Dumbledore should hold some responsibility. Snape may have egged him on about not being able to help the Order, but it was Dumbledore who had caged him. Harry would not allow himself to be caged as well.

To the rest of the world around him, Harry looked as if he was about to explode, his features kept getting darker as he ran through his thoughts in lightning speed, but Harry quickly regained his control, and chilled his thoughts. He would wait for Dumbledore's reaction before he blew up at the man, or blew something up as he so desperately wanted to do.

But as always his Professor's reaction was calm. "It is a lovely morning Harry, but I suggest that we return to headquarters before the day turns sour," Dumbledore held out his hand to Harry and there was a small palm sized stone there, a portkey no doubt.

Harry's false smile faded from his face as he said five simple words, in a very low voice, that Harry would later find out would change his relationship with Dumbledore forever, "if I choose not to?"

"I am sorry Harry but you do not have a choice, the outcome of this war depends on your safety," Dumbledore spoke back, his calm exterior never wavering and shoved the portkey into Harry's hand.

A moment later, he was standing in the drawing room back at Grimmauld place. That was Harry's last straw. He had never had much of a choice and Dumbledore was taking away his ability to choose. Harry's control snapped but his exterior calm remained. Sirius was right. He was not the savior of the Wizarding World, nor would he ever become one. This war had nothing to do with him. It had been raging since long before he was born, since long before the prophecy had ever been made. Sure one day, he would have to face Voldemort, but even on the slim chance that he succeeded, another Dark Lord would eventually just rise in his place. It was time that Harry took back his ability to choose, he would not live like Sirius, he would not be caged, and he refused to allow Dumbledore to continue to manipulate him, he would no longer play as a pawn in this war.

Harry turned towards the door and wretched it open letting it swing all the way back on its hinges. It banged loudly against the wall, shattering the silence of Grimmauld Place and starting Mrs. Black on another torrent.

"FILTHY MUGGLE LOVERS… DESTURBING THE PEACE OF THE HOUSE OF BLACK… IF ONLY MY LORD KNEW…"

Harry bounded down the stairs and ripped aside the moth eaten curtain that covered Mrs. Black's portrait. "SHUT UP!" Harry screamed back and Mrs. Black did.

"You," she whispered. "You're the one that corrupted my son. The one the Dark Lord had such high hopes for. I welcomed you into my family with open arms, like my own son, and you tore us apart. IF ONLY I WERE IN THE FLESH YOU'D PAY FOR YOUR TRAITOROUS ACTIONS… And now my son is gone… BELLA, I WANT BELLA… She was named in my Will. WHERE IS SHE!" Mrs. Black's screeches were worse then a banshee's and Harry stepped away a few feet as his ears were starting to ring.

"Bellatrix will not be coming here. Thanks to your son the House of Black belongs to me now, along with your fortune. And," Harry looked up and down Mrs. Black's Portrait, "so does your portrait," Harry said calmly, his ears still ringing.

"NO! NEVER! MY SON WOULD NEVER BE SO CRUEL!"

Harry pulled Sirius' letter from his pocket and began to read it out loud. "…_this is my Will and will be carried out automatically upon my death. I have left you the Black Family fortune, along with the house, as I do not need them anymore and I can not stomach my vile cousin obtaining any of it…"_

"NO!" Mrs. Black screeched again and then she suddenly stilled as if reverting to a Muggle painting, and fell off the wall. With a loud bang the painting hit the floor and broke in two, straight down the middle. Each piece lay flat on its front beside the other.

Harry stared wide-eyed, with his mouth open, at the two pieces until he heard the ruffling of robes and shuffling of feet behind him. He quickly stuffed Sirius' letter into his pocket. He turned to see his friends, as well as Mrs. Weasley, and several Order members, staring at him. Remus, Luminous, and Lyndira were among them.

"Hi," Harry whispered, and then staggered back from the on slot of questions that were thrown at him.

"Where were you…?"

"Why'd you go…?"

"What happened to Mrs. Black…?"

"Do you realize what could have happened to you?"

"YES!" Harry shouted at the last question that was directed at him from Remus.

"Everyone," Luminous stepped forward and held up his hands to ward off any more conversation. "I must apologize. I had hoped to have him back before anyone noticed him missing," Luminous bowed. "I did not know that it was going to cause this much of a fuss to allow Mr. Potter a couple of hours in Diagon Alley as a birthday treat."

"You were with Minister Friedens, Harry?"

Harry quickly covered his shock at Luminous' words, as he turned towards Dumbledore, who had come into the entrance hall unnoticed. "Didn't he just say that? I've been with Luminous and Lyndira the entire morning, having some _fun_. I was completely _safe_." Harry's defiance towards the old man showed blatantly through his words.

Dumbledore nodded and looked to Luminous. "Luminous, if you have a moment, I would like a word."

"Certainly Albus, but first," Luminous reached into an inside pocket of his robes and produced a small silver wrapped box. "A birthday present," Luminous handed the box to Harry who surveyed it for a moment, and then tore apart the wrapping. As he opened the box a smile came to his lips.

"I noticed that you were without a watch. And time goes by so quickly that one needs to keep track of every second of it. Now Harry, I thought you should know, before you count it as ordinary. That watch is special. It once belonged to your grandfather, Harold Potter, who if I'm not mistaken, you are named after. Oddly I found it among some of Fudges things. It already contains a Dark Arts detector, a Chameleon Charm, and a very inventive Shielding Charm. I added to it some very useful Charms of my own, including an emergency portkey. I'm sure that you will discover the other Charms as you continue with your _studies_."

Harry took the watch out of the box and put it on his wrist. He knew exactly what Luminous meant by studies, and he smiled as he examined the ingenious watch. The face contained not only a regular watch face but also the date and day of the week. Harry pressed one of the many tiny buttons on the side and was startled to see a tiny star chart glistening where the face had been. Harry noticed that it acted like a compass and the tiny night sky moved as he moved. Harry stared mesmerized for a moment before he released the button and turned back to Luminous. "Thank you Luminous, it's brilliant."

"You're welcome Harry," Luminous said with a wink and a smile, and then turned to leave with Dumbledore.

"Luminous, before you leave. My things are still umm, very small." Harry held out the small cube that was all his purchases.

Luminous chuckled. "Just set it on the floor, they'll expand by themselves. Happy Birthday Harry," he said over his shoulder. "Come Lyndira I think we're in for a scolding for keeping Mr. Potter out this morning…" Luminous trailed off as he Apparated with a loud crack, shortly after followed by Lyndira and a not so happy Dumbledore.

Harry let himself really breath for the first time since Dumbledore had found him in Diagon Alley. He looked to the people that remained in the Entrance Hall. "Who asked about Mrs. Black's portrait?" Harry smiled as Ginny raised her hand. "I have no idea. I don't think that she could stomach the fact that I now own Grimmauld Place. She just kind of froze and fell apart, literally," Harry shrugged with indifference. "Now Luminous was saying something about a party…"

Mrs. Weasley threw up her hands. "It was supposed to be a surprise. Minister or not that man could never keep a secret…" She grumbled as she headed off towards the kitchen. "Breakfast!" she yelled over her shoulder as she disappeared down the stairs.

Harry flinched as the kitchen door could be heard slamming. "Maybe next time, I'll just act surprised," Harry murmured and laughter for the first time in weeks could be heard in Grimmauld Place. It came from his friends at first and then even Remus and Tonks could be seen trying to hold in snorts of laughter. "Breakfast then," Harry clapped and his forgotten cube of purchases fell and landed on the floor, expanding as they did. "Maybe after I take care of my things," Harry chuckled.

"Wow, Harry, it looks like you've gotten yourself a whole new wardrobe," Ron said in amazement as Harry started to gather up some of the bags. He didn't want anyone poking into them, especially the one with the pensive, and the one with his underwear.

"I did. And," Harry tossed Ron the Quidditch book. "I got a few things for everyone else as well."

Several minutes later, Harry had stored his purchases in his and Ron's room, and given out the things he had bought for his friends. Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione joined the adults in the kitchen for one of the grandest breakfasts Harry had ever seen. It even rivaled a breakfast at Hogwarts.

After stuffing themselves full of bacon, sausage, eggs, toast, and a variety of other delicious items, Hermione and Ginny ushered Harry back up to his and Ron's room. They insisted that they had to see all of the clothes he had purchased earlier that morning. Harry managed to thank Mrs. Weasley for the great breakfast just as Hermione and Ginny dragged him out the door.

Harry eyed the two girls suspiciously as they closed the bedroom door behind him. He had never known Hermione to be so interested in clothes before, and why hadn't Ron come up with them. "Okay, what's going on?"

"What ever do you mean Harry? We want to see your new clothes," Ginny said sweetly as she moved towards some of Harry's bags.

Harry immediately dove for the bags. "No, not these ones," Harry said as he grabbed the bags from Ginny but Hermione got them from behind his back and he could feel his face turn pink as he heard Hermione giggle.

"Underwear Harry, you didn't want us to see your underwear," Hermione taunted as she opened the other heavier bag and her eyes widened. "Harry is this a Pensive?" she asked as she set the bags down and pulled out the small stone basin. "I thought underage Wizards weren't allowed to own a Pensive."

Harry gently took the Pensive from her. "Yes, Luminous, umm… Minister Friedens, took me to this shop that had all these unusual objects in it and I found this there. I thought it might come in handy. Especially if I have to continue on with Occlumency…"

"Professor Dumbledore is going to make you continue Occlumency, with Professor Snape? After last year, after what he…" Hermione started but Harry interrupted.

"I don't know, with the way Dumbledore is acting I wouldn't be surprised," Harry said quietly with a hint of anger in his voice. He looked at his feet and then he looked up to his friend's concerned eyes. "Just because Voldemort has an inclination to want me dead, doesn't mean that Dumbledore should lock me up to keep me safe. I mean, I know he's my guardian and all, but I would think that he gave up those rights the day he shoveled me off on the Dursley's doorstep," Harry took a deep breath in and then let it out in a sigh. "Why can't they just leave me alone? I'm sick of all the adults trying to dictate my fate."

"Harry I can't pretend that I know what you're going through, cause I don't…"

"You're right Hermione, you don't know. No body knows, not even the Order," Harry interrupted Hermione and then sat down on his bed and put his head in his hand, his head hurt. "Some times I just wish…" Harry trailed off with his whispered thought. No, he didn't wish that, if he were dead then he'd never get a chance to live. Harry put his new pensive aside and grabbed at his bag of underwear, determined to change the subject. He didn't want his friends to feel sorry for him.

Thankfully, just as Hermione was going to argue with Harry, Ginny took the cue and grabbed the bag away from him. "Now lets see what you've got in here," Ginny said pulling out a pair of Slytherin green boxers. "Oh, knotty Harry, switching sides. Hope you aren't planning on wearing these during our Quidditch matches."

"I've got Gryffindor colors in there too. Green happens to be my favorite color, has nothing to do with Slytherin," Harry objected as his face turned bright pink and he grabbed the boxers and shoved them back into his bag. "Here you wanted to see my new clothes? You can see my new clothes, not my underwear." Harry threw another bag at Ginny and grabbed the bag she held, from her.

The two girls took the next hour and a half to make Harry model all of his new clothes. Though Harry grumbled with embracement at first, he gradually started to have fun. Harry was strutting around in his Gryffindor colored dress robes when the door opened and closed of its own violation. The three Gryffindors stared at the bedroom door and then all jumped and turned around to see Ron rummaging around through Harry's bags.

"Harry, what are you turning into Snape now? I've never seen so many potion ingredients. Blimy you've got potion robes in here too."

"Jeez Ron, where did you come from?" stammered Ginny, as she dropped the bag she was holding and neatly folded Muggle clothes tumbled out onto the floor.

Ron looked up from the bag that he nearly had his head in. "Oh sorry, I came in while you were ogling Harry's dress robes."

Harry looked next to where Ron was kneeling. "My invisibility cloak," Harry said eyeing the garment beside Ron.

"Sorry mate, but it's not, its old Mad-Eyes. I filched it off him while he was sleeping. Dumbledore still has yours."

Harry's shoulders slumped at Ron's words and his smile faded.

"Ronald, that is stealing!"

"No, Hermione, barrowing without consent, I'm going to give it back."

Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron and moved over to where Ron was on the floor. She pulled a small silver colored cauldron out of one of the bags, and looked up to Harry questioningly. "Is this silver Harry? These are really expensive. You do know that we only use up to a basic number six cauldron in school? You'll never have a need for this at Hogwarts."

Harry looked away from Hermione's questioning glare. He hadn't told his friends about the potion yet. He had skirted their questions, and now he either had to confess or make up a lie. Harry chose the latter. He didn't want his friends to know just yet, maybe after he started taking the potion. "It's silver with a lead insulated base, and yes I know I won't need it for school, it's not mine. I picked it up for Lyndira. I forgot to give it to her." Harry bit his lower lip and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He flicked his eyes up to Hermione. After a moment she seemed to except his answer, for now. Harry looked to Ron beside her. "What did you mean about me turning into Professor Snape?"

"It's just that, I've never seen you with so much potions supplies before. I mean look, you even have new measuring stuff." Ron held up an open black box full of measuring supplies.

Harry gave a half smile. "Kind of went a little overboard, didn't I?" The three in front of him nodded. It was obvious even Hermione thought he had bought too much stuff. "I guess I just wanted to make a good impression on Professor Snape this year, if that's possible."

"But Harry you said that you got kicked out of Professor Snape's potion class," Hermione said with a nit in her brow.

"He told me this morning that he was letting me back in. Honestly don't know why," Harry really didn't know why, it was quite baffling actually. What was even more bizarre, was Snape letting him train. Just a few days ago, he was convinced that Harry was learning Dark Magic. Now he was siding with him and almost being nice. It was a little creepy.

"He's letting you back in? He must be feeling guilty about cursing you," Ginny said.

Harry shrugged, "maybe."

Harry walked over to his trunk and unlocked it. He didn't open it right away, he didn't want anyone to see inside. He grabbed one of his bags closest to him and then emptied the contents over everything else in his truck, more specifically Merlin's Diaries. After check that clothes were covering the many different sized books, Harry began to do the same with the rest of his belongings.

"Jeez Harry, why don't you just have mom reorganize your truck like me and Ginny do? It would be a whole lot easier to find stuff and she can do it in less then a minute. She's really good with organization charms," Ron commented.

Harry was about to make up an answer when all four of their heads shot up at the sound of Molly Weasley's voice, echoing up the stairs. "Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Harry, down here now," Mrs. Weasley didn't sound happy, and both of the Weasley children ducked their heads before they all left Harry's and Ron's room. Harry held back long enough to stuff the rest of his belongings into his truck and lock it, he was glad it had an ever expandable charm on it, another idea of Hagrid's.

They made their way down the stairs quickly and Mrs. Weasley pointed them into the drawing room. What Harry saw brought a smile to his face. The room was decorated with balloons, streamers, and decorations, which Harry had never even dreamt about. He thought breakfast was nice, but this was breathtaking. Harry turned around to thank Mrs. Weasley again and was greeted by a large birthday cake carried by the twins. The cake held sixteen sparkling candles, and Harry's heart melted. He'd never had a real birthday cake before. Harry's features darkened slightly, he'd missed out on a lot of things because of the Dursley's. _No, because of Dumbledore._

"Happy Birthday Harry," said Mrs. Weasley with a huge smile on her face and a round of 'Happy Birthday's,' followed from the other people in the room.

Harry tried to plaster a smile of his face for his friends' sake, but it was as if a list of things that he never had or ever got to experience started to run through his mind. He knew that it was another one of Voldemort's mind games, but it was all true. He couldn't help but wonder, what his life would have been like if Dumbledore had just placed him with a Wizarding family. _You'd have everything you've ever craved_, said a small voice and Harry wasn't sure if it was Voldemort's or his own.

Harry's thoughts were interrupted by the people around him singing a bizarre form of Happy Birthday. Harry suddenly felt sick, not just sick, horrible. He wanted them to all stop, he wanted to scream for them to stop. He didn't understand it. He should be happy, but he wasn't. He suddenly felt hate pushed into his mind as the room started to spin. Harry closed his eyes tightly against the dizziness. He briefly heard someone ask if he was alright, before unconsciousness overtook him and he fell into darkness.

A/N: Ooh, Harry, your in trouble now Mister.


	12. Alone at Hogwarts

_Harry returns to Hogwarts early after a brief and disturbing encounter with The Dark Lord. Harry finds out some about his past and the past of Voldemort._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Twelve- Alone at Hogwarts

"Harry…"

_Harry opened his eyes and stared out across the sea of green that lay before him. The sun beat down, but he felt no warmth from its rays, only cold. Harry turned abruptly to the figure that stood behind him and anger welled up inside him._

"_Welcome Harry Potter," hissed the icy voice._

"_Voldemort, what did you do?" Harry wasn't scared, he was curious. He'd never felt anything like what he'd felt at his party, he felt sick from…_

_A cruel smile came to The Dark Lords lips, no, not The Dark Lords, Riddle's. It was not the face of Voldemort that was before him, it was the face of Tom Riddle, albeit a little older then what he had seen in his second year, but it was still Tom. "There is more of me in you then anyone realizes. I've found that not only power was transferred over to you the night that you did not die. I have simply activated that part of me that is in you," Riddle laughed coldly. "You, like me, can no longer bare the emotion of love."_

_Harry staggered back. "Why are you doing this? Haven't I suffered enough?" Harry shouted._

"_You don't know what suffering is, Harry Potter," Riddle hissed and the smile faded from his lips. "But you will." Riddle disappeared leaving Harry alone in the open field. Harry looked around him. Where was he? The area seemed strangely familiar, but he couldn't place it as something that he had ever seen. _

_A cry echoed from behind him and Harry turned abruptly to see a small village, that hadn't been there before. The village was engulfed in flames and there was a line of at least a dozen Muggles kneeling in the grass. In front of them was a line of Death Eaters all with their wands drawn and pointed at the Muggles._

_Harry couldn't do anything but watch in horror as Voldemort walked towards them with a young girl held firmly at his side. "Kill them." A volley of Killing Curses shot from the wands of the Death Eaters and struck down all of the helpless Muggles with brilliant beams of green. "Now for you my dear Mudblood," Voldemort hissed as he threw the girl to the ground and drew his own wand._

_The girl struggled to crawl backwards in her vain attempt to move away. She looked straight at Harry with pleading eyes. Harry tried to move forward but found that he was stuck. He jerked his eyes away from the girl's frightened stare as Voldemort killed the girl with two simple words. But nothing could dim the familiar flash of green that washed across his vision. _

_Harry's head shot up as Voldemort's cold voice sounded in his ears, even though the man was nowhere near him. "Someday Potter, very soon, you will enjoy this. You too will take pleasure in the rush of taking life," Voldemort didn't laugh as he said this, he didn't even smile. He was completely serious and Harry knew with a sickening feeling that he spoke the truth._

"_No! I won't! I may have part of you in me, but I will not become you!" Harry shouted his fleeting denial as he trembled with rage._

"_Of course you won't become me. You'll join me. You will become my most loyal servant…"_

Harry sat bolt up right, his breath coming in short gasps. He scrambled to his feet, pushing those around him, out of the way, as he did. He turned to Remus with fear in his eyes. "I need to see Dumbledore, now."

"We'll get him Harry, just calm down. What's wrong…?" Mrs. Weasley's concern for him was unbearable. No, it was the love.

"STOP IT! Stop… Just take me to him. NOW!" Harry shouted pushing past her and running out of the drawing room with Remus hard on his heels. He could feel the anger radiating off of his old professor at the way he had treated Mrs. Weasley but he didn't care. He now knew what Voldemort felt when he felt love. It was horrible, it wasn't exactly pain, but it was worse then the Cruciatus Curse.

"Harry stop," Remus grabbed hold of Harry's forearm just as he reached the stairs.

Harry recoiled from Remus' touch and yanked his arm away. "I'm going to Hogwarts."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Remus asked calmly.

Harry raised his eyebrow at the question and then marched swiftly down the stairs and into the kitchen. He turned to Remus who had followed. Harry grabbed a handful of powder from the bowl on the mantle. "You're welcome to come, but I doubt that you'll like what you're going to hear," Harry said softly and then stepped back into the unlit fireplace and threw down the floo powder. "Hogwarts," Harry bellowed and then disappeared in a flash of green flame that sprang to life and engulfed him.

After the excessive spinning slowed, Harry stepped out of the fireplace. He knew he was at Hogwarts but he hadn't expected to end up were he did.

The figure in the black robes abruptly stood up at Harry's presence. He obviously hadn't been there long, as he still wore his cloak. "Potter," the cold voice of Severus Snape sneered.

"Sorry Professor, I didn't specify which room. I need to see Dumbledore, I need to tell him… everything," Harry whispered and then sunk to his knees and put his head in his hands.

Harry for once was grateful for Snape's loathing of him. Harry's head shot up as he heard Snape say '_Headmaster's office_,' and then seconds later Dumbledore came through Snape's fireplace. Harry looked up to the headmaster. "Riddle's gaining…" Harry began, but stopped and let out a deep trembling breath. "I've lost. How can I defeat someone who has complete control over me?"

"Harry," Dumbledore walked towards him with compassion and concern in his eyes. He started to put his hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry scrambled away. "No, don't touch me. I can't stand it. '_The power which he knows not_,'" Harry spat, "I can't bear it. He's taken away the only power I have over him. He can control my emotions. It's only a matter of time before he'll be able to control my actions," Harry whispered as he got to his feet swiftly. "Professor I need the ingredients for the potion. If I can't feel, Voldemort won't gain power through me. If I can't feel, I'll never… I'll never…"

"Take pleasure in the rush of taking life."

Harry didn't know where the strength or speed came from, but the anger that shot through him, like lightning, forced him into action. The next thing he knew he had slammed the potion's master against the wall and held him in a death grip by his throat. "You were there, and you did nothing to stop it. You helped kill those Muggles! That girl…"

Snape whispered a spell and Harry was thrown to the floor on his back and Snape had his hand at Harry's throat in a matter of seconds. Snape was much stronger then Harry and he found himself struggling for air under Snape's grip. "Never attack me again or prophecy or not, I will kill you. Just because you are destined to defeat the Dark Lord, does not mean that I will bow to your every whim. I have done more against the Dark Lord, then even you could imagine."

Snape's grip loosened and Harry dragged in a long staggered breath. "Killing Muggles is going against the Dark Lord?" Harry spat.

"Such is a life of a spy," Snape whispered with regret in his voice, and then he dragged Harry to his feet. Harry was surprised to see that Dumbledore had not made a move against either of them, he just stood their calmly as if he had expected this to happen. "Sometimes I'm forced to do things that I'm not proud of, especially now that the Dark Lord does not trust me," Snape folded his robes around himself and moved away from Harry who gave him a dark look, that clearly stated that he hated the man. "How did you get there?" Snape asked after several seconds.

"Voldemort," Harry said in a whisper. "He can project me when I'm unconscious. And apparently he can make me unconscious as well."

"Project you?" asked Snape.

Harry just nodded, before turning away from him. "I don't know how. I never want to see anything like that again."

Snape obviously understood what Harry meant but it was Dumbledore who asked. "What did you see?"

Harry closed his eyes and shook his head, remembering the pleading… the fear… That girl's eyes would haunt him forever.

Dumbledore slowly approached Harry. "Are you alright?"

Harry didn't even look at his headmaster. He gave Snape one last hateful glare and then he turned on his heel. "No," Harry answered Dumbledore's question before he stormed out of Snape's quarters.

Harry had made it all the way to the entrance hall before he stopped. He sat down on the stone stairs and hid his face in his hands. He sat there for a long time, the events of the past few weeks rolling over in his mind. "What am I turning into?" he whispered to himself and then he looked up at the sounds of footsteps on the stone tiles. Dumbledore stood over him, a calm, but sad smile on his face.

"It was a curse," Dumbledore said smoothly.

"What was, Sir?" Harry asked after a few moments.

Dumbledore adjusted his glasses on his face. "The reason Tom cannot bear love. It was a curse put upon him by Grindelwald. Tom Riddle hadn't always been a Dark Wizard, Harry. He was once a boy, with regular emotions and fears. He was one of the brightest young Wizards of his age, much like Miss Granger," Dumbledore said as he took a seat next to Harry on the stairs.

"What happened, how did he become so dark, so evil?" Harry asked.

"No one has ever been able to fully explain that. The summer before his fifth year, he disappeared from the Muggle orphanage where he lived. Just before the start of term he reappeared, but he was much different from when he had left. He began distancing himself from his friends, from everyone. He'd go into the hospital wing saying that he was sick, but leave within minutes of entering. He stopped helping the younger student's with their class work, and he was quick to get angry with his dorm mates.

"Just before winter holidays he came to me in a panic, he explained to me that he had been cursed, but he did not elaborate. He disappeared during the holidays. When he resurfaced, just before term started up again, he came back with more of a calm exterior, and he began to avoid me and any other teacher. He had turned around and was now the complete opposite of the boy that he had once been.

"It wasn't until a couple of years later that I had finally found out about the curse from Grindelwald himself. He had cast the permanent curse upon Tom, so that he had a way of manipulating and controlling him. It unfortunately made it unbearable for Tom to feel any kind of love or compassion, whether it was his own or others."

"So, this is permanent. It's part of that same curse," Harry stated as he stared unblinkingly at his trembling hands.

"I don't know," Dumbledore answered Harry's unasked question, and then he reached inside of his robes and pulled out a small, brown wood box, and handed it to Harry. "Severus said that might help." Dumbledore stood up from the stairs. "He's told me about your training and I hope it is helping you. I will allow you to continue it until you either start to put yourself at risk, or those around you." Dumbledore started to walk away before Harry stood up.

"Professor, I'm not learning Dark Magic," Harry said softly.

"If it's not Dark Harry, why do you need two of the most cursed bloods?" Dumbledore asked, there was no anger in his voice but it held a calm seriousness.

Harry clutched the box in his hands and looked at the remarkably shinny stone floor. "It's called the Vampirism Potion. Though there is a high risk of either turning myself into a Vampire or killing myself, I think the effects out way the negative. It will take away my ability to feel all emotion. If I can't feel, then Voldemort can't feed off of my negative emotions and he won't be able to control me."

"Harry I do not think taking this potion is wise. The second the Unicorn Blood passes your lips, no matter how deluded it is, you will be cursed, and I'm not speaking of curses through spells and charms. Your vary soul will be tainted." For the first time Harry saw his headmaster's calm exterior waver. Fear radiated off of him and it scared Harry.

"If there was another way, I'd gladly take it," Harry whispered and then he staggered back and clamped his eyes shut against the feeling that swept over him. When he opened his eyes it was to find Mrs. Weasley, Remus, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny coming down the stairs towards them. Harry turned away from them and looked at Dumbledore. "I'm sorry Professor, but I can't be here…"

Dumbledore looked upon Harry with sadness in his eyes and understanding. "You may go up to my office, the door is open."

Harry nodded and then ran past his friends' questioning gazes. He ran all the way up to the headmaster's office, and didn't stop until he reached the wooden door at the top of the spiral staircase. The door stood ajar, and Harry slowly entered into the room. He hadn't been back since the end of term. Since the night, that he had taken out his anger and sorrow on the room. Since the night, that Voldemort had gained this power over him…

It looked the same as it always did, neat, yet cluttered, with unique instruments, all, which seemed to have been repaired. Harry walked around the office, ignoring the stares and whispers of the paintings on the walls. He skimmed his fingers over the small library of old books that covered the bookshelves neatly. He subconsciously took in each of their titles as he passed. It was only when he reached the ragged looking hat that he stopped.

Gryffindor's sword hung on the wall behind it and Harry ran his hand over the smooth metal. "That's the difference between you and I Riddle. I'm a Gryffindor and you're a Slytherin," Harry whispered to himself. He had just taken his hand away from the sword when he heard the cold calculated voice.

"Only because you asked to be placed in Gryffindor."

Harry spun around and staggered back against the wall as Tom Riddle materialized in front of him. Gasps could be heard from the portraits but they otherwise remained silent.

"I'm very impressed. Your powers are growing. I had not expected for you to project me so effortlessly."

Harry pushed himself away from the wall and walked up to the Dark Lord with determination in each step. "I am not a Slytherin. The Sorting Hat placed me in Gryffindor for a reason…"

Voldemort sat himself comfortably at Dumbledore's desk. He leaned forward and glanced up at Harry with his fingers together and his elbows resting on the top of the desk. "Yes it did. I have a very interesting history lesson for you Mr. Potter. A descendant of Gryffindor and a descendant of Slytherin married…"

"How poetic, what's that got to do with me?" Harry spat, and he thought for a moment that he was probably the only person with the guts to interrupt Lord Voldemort.

"Patience, Potter. They had a child, a son, and that son married _The Heir_."

_The Heir_, he'd heard that before, where had he heard that before? "Merlin," Harry whispered in remembrance. It was in the diaries and Harry vaguely remembered something about it in History of Magic class.

"Very good, you know your history. The female heir of Merlin, and they in turn had a son, and his name was James Potter." A cruel smile came to Riddle's lips as Harry sank down into a chair on the other side of the desk. "So yes, the Sorting Hat placed you in Gryffindor because you are a member of that bloodline. However, had you not asked to be in Gryffindor, you would most certainly be in Slytherin. For you are a member of that bloodline as well."

Harry's head shot up. "But I'm also a descendant of Merlin. Don't you think that tips the scale just a bit?"

"If you really believe that Potter, put on the hat and let it resort you, this time don't ask to not be in Slytherin." Voldemort vanished, his last words hanging in the air as Dumbledore walked into the office followed closely by Remus. Harry didn't look up. He was still staring at the empty seat in front of him.

"Harry, who were you talking to?" Remus asked staring down at him.

"No one, myself," Harry answered before he looked up to him and Dumbledore,

Dumbledore took the seat that was recently vacated by the projection of Voldemort. "I have explained the situation to the Weasley's and Miss Granger." Harry gave Dumbledore an angered look. "I know that you may not have wanted them to know. But it is better that they do. We have all agreed that you are to stay here for the remainder of the summer. Your things have already been sent up to Gryffindor Tower and your friends will join you at the start of term."

"Fine," Harry said as he stood from his chair. "I'm going to go get unpacked."

"I'll have a house elf send up lunch for you," Dumbledore said as Harry left the office with out glancing back once.

Harry walked slowly all the way up to Gryffindor Tower, where he found the portrait of the Fat Lady sitting where she always was. Harry opened his mouth to say the password but remembered that Dumbledore had not given him one.

The portrait smiled sweetly back at him. "It is summer, Mr. Potter, passwords are not needed," the portrait opened and Harry walked inside. "Welcome back to Hogwarts." He heard from behind him before the portrait door closed.

Harry walked into the empty common room. He'd never seen it look so forlorn. Even with the rays of bright sunlight basking over the room. Harry was home, but he'd never felt so alone.

A/N: Next chapter's lucky… or unlucky, thirteen. Read on.


	13. The 'Resorting' Ceremony

_Harry starts to master the magic he is learning from Merlin's Diaries. The term starts with a Sorting Ceremony no one will ever forget. And he doesn't get off on the right foot with the new Defense Professor._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Thirteen- The 'Resorting' Ceremony

Hours turned into days and days turned into weeks, and before Harry realized it, the start of term was fast approaching. From the moment he had settled into Gryffindor Tower, Harry had continued his training. He found that the solitary atmosphere that surrounded Hogwarts was perfect for concentrating on not only his studies, but his physical training as well. Though he could not leave the school grounds at Dumbledore's request, he found that Hogwarts had a lot of ground to cover. Harry was lonely, but throwing himself into his training occupied his time greatly. The Occlumency that he practiced on his own, now daily, helped him blank out his mind when he did not wish for his thoughts to roam.

Harry had seen Dumbledore watching him during his morning runs around the lake, and as he practiced his physical meditation on the Quidditch Pitch. Somehow, Harry had become quite proficient in the art of hand-to-hand combat, and he was quite amused when Luminous had shown up one day with three advanced practice dummies. Saying something like, '_I knew you'd get to that book eventually_.' He had set them up on the pitch and Harry noticed that even Snape came out to observe the white dummies that were enchanted to act like humans. The large dolls even mocked Harry silently. One morning with the observance of Snape, Dumbledore, and Luminous, who Harry had not known were watching him, at the time, Harry managed to, from a standing meditative state, incapacitate all three dummies in less then a minute with out a wand. He was amazed that he could learn so much from just reading, though he knew that it was through his own physical force that he had built up the stamina, speed, and agility, which he had used to win against the dummies.

Harry had become quite pleased with his progress over the past month. Being able to train openly helped greatly and he was beginning to see hope again. Hope that he might be able to defeat Voldemort in time. Though he had successfully brewed the Vampirism Potion, he had yet to take it. Since the day in Dumbledore's office where he had learned about his lineage, Voldemort hadn't made any move against him. In fact, he hadn't felt anything from the man all month. He had remained completely silent to Harry and that worried him. But Harry knew he was still out their because of the mass amount of articles that littered the Daily Prophet about attacks on Muggles and Wizards alike.

It was the thirty-first of August, the day before term was to start, and Harry would loose his solitude. He was in the Room of Requirement with seven large stones sitting on a shelve behind him. Harry was trying to concentrate on a new, would be very useful spell, which he had just learned from the most recent of Merlin's Diaries, when the door opened and Dumbledore stepped into the room.

Harry lost concentration and the incomplete wandless spell, rebounded back on him, for the umpteenth time that afternoon. It knocked him to the floor on his back. Harry shook off the numbing effects of the spell and smoothly jumped to his feet.

"Harry are you…?"

"Fine, I'm fine," Harry said with a hint of annoyance in his voice and backed away from his headmaster. "Sorry, it's just the sixth time I've done that in the last hour. The spell's just too damn strong. I keep loosing concentration."

Harry had noticed Dumbledore silently observing him many times over the last weeks. He had seen much of the spells, charms, and curses that Harry had learned to cast and control with unique precision. Dumbledore never again asked if what he was learning was dark magic, but he had several times asked what he was learning, and where he was learning it from. He kept an even closer eye on his progress with every time that Harry had refused to answer him.

"Concentration is not what you are lacking," Harry looked at Dumbledore with confusion in his eyes. Had he somehow found out about Merlin's Diaries? "Though I don't know what form of Magic you are learning, and I find my curiosity is unfathomable, I have noticed that most of the spells are focused around Life Force."

"Life Force?" asked Harry.

"It is the energy that resides in all living things. If this holds true with the spell you are trying to perform, it will not work on stone," Dumbledore explained.

"Of course, that's what he meant," Harry murmured, speaking of a passage in one of the Diaries.

"Who Harry?"

Harry looked up to Dumbledore. He hadn't meant to speak allowed. "No one," he answered.

"Harry, I understand that you don't want…"

"No, Professor, this has nothing to do with what I want. Nothing ever has anything to do with what I want," Harry interrupted and rolled his eyes. "As I've told you before, I can't tell you. It's not possible."

"Why? Is it a spell or a curse perhaps?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry sat down in a comfortable chair that appeared behind him with a sigh. "I've thought about this for a while and I think it might be a charm. Much like the Fidelius Charm, but it doesn't need a Secret Keeper, and it's placed on objects not people or places. And only certain people can…" Harry stopped mid sentence and jumped up from his chair, determination and realization in his emerald eyes. "Excuse me Professor. I just remembered something that I have to do." Harry left the Room of Requirement swiftly.

Why hadn't he seen it before? Harry moved quickly down the many flights of stairs, until he was standing outside of Snape's quarters in the dungeons. Snape could read the potions diary. Harry knocked loudly on the potion master's door, after a moment Snape opened the door and Harry couldn't resist. He concentrated on the spell he had been practicing and Snape was thrown away from the door and landed several feet away on his green velvet couch.

"Potter, what is the meaning…" Snape began to shout.

"How long have you known about Merlin's Diaries?" Harry spat, as he walked into the room uninvited and slammed the door behind him.

Snape got to his feet and straightened out his robes, irritably. "Much longer then you, it's about time you've realized," Snape snarled. "Took you longer then I had expected. Apparently your smarts are lacking when Miss Granger is not around."

"Well forgive me for having other things on my mind. Why didn't you tell me?" Harry asked. He wasn't fazed in the least that Snape could read the diaries. He had learned so much within the past summer that he didn't think anything could shock him anymore.

"I did not see the point. So what, we have something in common. We're both descendents of the _Great Merlin_," Snape rolled his eyes callously. "There must be hundreds of us who are descendent from Merlin, sharing a bloodline with someone great, does not make them great."

Harry shook his head. "Don't you care that Merlin chose you to be able to learn his Magic?"

"No, Potter, I do not. I have no need for Ancient Magic and weak spells. The potions book intrigued me, yes. I had never seen it before, but the rest of it holds no value for me," Snape sneered. "As it is, I've only been able to read five books. What is the point of learning it, if your lineage will not allow you too learn all of it? I find it a waste of time. I don't think there is a person alive who can read all of Merlin's Diaries."

"So the charm is linked through the blood?" Harry asked ignoring most of what Snape said.

"Yes, among other things…" Snape snarled.

"How did you find out about the Diaries anyways? I thought Luminous held all of them," Harry interrupted again.

"He does, I was introduced to them through my wife," Snape answered in a seething whisper.

"You're married!" Harry blurted out. And here he thought nothing could shock him.

"Does it seem so improbable that I have a life outside of Hogwarts, Potter? Yes I am married, to Lyndira," Harry visibly paled at Snape's words.

"But you're so different," Harry blurted out again. He knew he was starting to tread on dangerous ground by the expression on Snape's face, but he couldn't help it. This was just too weird.

"Opposites tend to attract Potter. If you are finished with your interrogation, I have quite a few things that need to be done before your classmates arrive tomorrow," Snape said moving past Harry to open the door. Harry just stood there staring at his professor with a sickly look on his face. "That was not an invitation to stay Potter." Harry snapped out of his daze and walked out of Snape's quarters. "If I hear any gossip among the students about me being married, you'll beg for the Cruciatus Curse, for it'll be better then anything that I will do to you," Snape slammed his door in Harry's face.

It took several minutes for Harry to find his way out of the Dungeons, as he wasn't looking where he was going, just kind of wandering aimlessly. Harry took Snape's threat lightly. _How could anyone marry a slimy git like that_? What Ron's reaction would be echoed through his mind and he began to laugh. No wonder Snape didn't want anyone to know, that would be the reaction of the entire school, perhaps minus the Slytherins. He couldn't wait to tell Ron and Hermione, heck his whole house.

By the time he had returned to the Room of Requirement, Harry was near to hysterical laughter with the thought that he now held leverage over the man. Harry caught his breath and stopped the near snorts of laughter as he pushed open the door, fully expecting to find Dumbledore still there. Harry stopped his laughter completely and clamped his hand over his mouth as he entered to find Lyndira, Luminous, and Remus, in Dumbledore's place, sitting in the dimly lit study that the room had turned into.

Harry began to turn beat red as he tried to contain his laughter. Though he had only known Lyndira briefly, he knew that anything that Snape would do to him would be ten times as worse coming from her.

"What's so funny Harry?" Luminous asked with amusement in his eyes.

"Nothing, nothing at all, excuse me," Harry said and returned to the hall. Just as the door clicked close behind him Harry let his laughter reverberate through the halls. He'd never laughed so hard in his life. He couldn't contain it, it was just too funny. His initial reaction was to be repulsed but now that it had fully sunk in, it really was way to amusing. They were just so different. Harry finally got his laughter under control and with a few deep breaths, he entered back into the room.

"Sorry about that. How are you all doing?" asked Harry with a grin still plastered on his face. They were all now standing and the room had reverted back to his training area.

Lyndira raised her eyebrow at Harry and gave him an angered look, as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You should practice your Occlumency more Harry, especially around a natural Legilimens. A slimy git, hmm, Harry?"

Harry visibly paled and then color came back to his face with embarrassment. "I'm sorry, it's just…"

Lyndira laughed at Harry's embarrassment. "Don't worry about it Harry. I've heard worse things from men twice your age," Lyndira side glanced at her brother with amusement in her eyes. "Great start you've gotten yourself off on with the new Defense teacher."

"You're teaching Defense this year?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Sadly no, I was speaking about Severus. I'm taking over Potions."

Harry collapsed in the chair that appeared out of nowhere for him. As if his life wasn't miserable enough, now he had to endure another year with a horrible Defense teacher. At least he was better then Toad Lady Umbridge. Harry looked up to determine whether or not Lyndira was reading his thoughts but she obviously wasn't as she was telling Remus and Luminous what was so funny.

Harry stood up and looked to the three before him. They were all laughing at his discomfort. Harry cocked his head to one side. It had worked on Snape, and he'd only be attacking… The Minister, a Professor, and one of his fathers best friends. "Could you all take three steps back?" A large smile spread across Harry's lips as he calculated in his mind where each of them would land. Large puffy couches formed in each spot. All three did without question and Harry subconsciously thought that they deserved this for not keeping their guard up.

Harry hardly had to concentrate this time. The air shifted slightly around him as a wave of energy encircled him and then shot out in a pale, barely visible, yellow ring. The spell had the same effect as it did on Snape and all but Luminous flew back several feet and landed on the fluffy couches unharmed, but perhaps a little numb.

Luminous clapped his hands together and sniggered at his sister and Remus, who were just shaking off the side affects of the spell. They each looked at Harry. Lyndira was laughing and Remus was staring at Harry in bewilderment. "Good show lad," Luminous laughed, with the air of a child.

Harry shook his head at the adults. "I have only two words for you, 'Constant Vigilance.' Professor, Minister, Remus," Harry nodded respectfully to each of the adults in turn and then left the room laughing all the while, and thinking that he'd have to thank Dumbledore for pointing out the obvious, "Life Force, of course!"

By the time Harry had made his way to Gryffindor Tower he had a stitch in his side from laughing so hard and he was the happiest he'd been all month. He couldn't wait to tell Hermione and Ron about Snape being married, to Lyndira of all people. "Married did you know he was married?" Harry blurted to the Fat Lady as she swung open for him. She just shrugged as Harry passed and he grinned at her before going into the common room.

The second the door swung closed behind him, Harry fell to his knees and clutched his hand to his scar, where a siring pain had developed. When the pain had passed and he was able to look up, a projection of Voldemort was standing in front of him.

Harry launched himself to his feet. "Voldemort," Harry spat.

"Mr. Potter, sorry about the pain… No, I'm not," Riddle circled Harry as he spoke and a cruel chuckle escaped him. A cold smile formed on his lips. "I have a deal for you. Tomorrow is the Sorting Ceremony. All of the little first years will be taking their place among the houses. At the end of the sorting just before McGonagall takes away the hat, you will ask to be resorted."

"So what's the deal?"

Voldemort stopped in front of Harry. "If the Sorting Hat places you in Gryffindor, I will leave you and all of your little friends alone for the entire school year. I may even consider lifting the curse. But if the Sorting Hat places you where you belong in Slytherin, you will come to me willing and take the Dark Mark."

"No, I will not be resorted. I am a Gryffindor and I will never serve you!" Harry yelled needlessly at the projection.

"We shall see. Prove your loyalty to Gryffindor," Voldemort said calmly and then disappeared.

Harry sunk into his favorite chair by the fireplace. He pointed his wand at the fireplace and muttered, "_Incendio_." Fire leapt to life. Harry stared at the bright orange and red flames in deep thought. He sat there for hours. It was when the fire had died out and only white wisps of smoke were left behind, that Harry finally looked away. He had stayed up all night, and he had only come to one conclusion among his disordered thoughts. That was that he could never, and would never, serve Voldemort willingly.

Harry stretched and then pushed himself out of the chair. He returned to his dormitory and changed into his running clothes. He looked at the sun coming over the trees of the Forbidden Forest. It was a bit earlier then he normally would go out, but going to sleep now was pointless. And running always helped clear his mind.

Harry had run until his legs gave out and then he collapsed breathless in the grass by the lake. He stared up at the cloudless sky, wishing beyond anything that his world was different. "Why?" Harry asked the indifferent sky. "Why me?" he whispered his unheard questions. "Why not Seamus or Dean or Neville...?" Harry's barely audible sentence trailed off. No he wouldn't wish his position upon anyone else, no one deserved his situation.

Harry rolled over on his stomach and watched the bizarre movements of the Giant Squid roaming around the lake. He had just closed his eyes to take a nap in the sun when there was a rustle of bushes and Harry instinctively jumped to his feet.

"Who's there?" Harry asked loudly, pulling out his wand from the side pocket on his pants swiftly. Harry's breath caught in his throat as a large almost entirely black stag appeared. It looked at Harry for a long moment and then darted towards the Forbidden Forest. "Dad!" Harry shouted as he ran after it. The stag disappeared into the forest and Harry stopped on the edge. He looked longingly into the dark forest, but he didn't enter it. He had promised Dumbledore that he wouldn't leave the grounds, and if the stag was indeed his father, he'd reveal himself in time. Harry moved away from the forest with a heavy sigh and started his hike back up to the castle, completely unaware of the rodent curiously watching him from the undergrowth.

Several hours later, Harry found himself watching, from several floors above the Entrance Hall, as students filed in quickly, trying to get out of the downpour outside. Harry had taken the liberty of threatening Peeves with the wrath of the Bloody Baron, who Harry had become well acquainted with in the last month. If the poltergeist so much as threw one water balloon at the already drenched students, the Baron would be there in seconds. Harry still didn't understand why Peeves was so afraid of the Baron, but whatever worked. He remembered getting drenched by the annoying poltergeist in his past years at Hogwarts and he took pity on his fellow classmates the second he had seen the dark rain clouds coming in earlier that afternoon.

Harry watched as Ginny, Ron, and Hermione helped to dry off some of the younger students as they passed them on their way to the Great Hall. He saw that Ginny had made Prefect. He hadn't known that, and he thought Mrs. Weasley must be thrilled. Harry noticed Hermione and Ron looking around for him, but it was Ginny who caught his gaze. She was about to point him out to Hermione and her brother, but stopped at the shake of his head. She nodded slowly up at him, giving him a sad smile before following Hermione and Ron into the Great Hall.

Harry waited until the entrance hall had cleared and the first years begun to file in, before he made his way down the stairs. Professor McGonagall gave him a nod, as he passed her, and walked into the Great Hall. Hermione and Ron got up from their seats to make room for him to sit, but Harry walked passed them with a pained expression on his face. He took a seat at the head of the table as far away from his fellow Gryffindors and as far away from the whispers that followed him up the hall. He did not want to be here tonight but he knew he had to. He was already starting to feel the '_pain_,' as he dubbed the horrible felling of the curse. But as long as he stayed as far away from those that cared for him, the pain wasn't unbearable.

As he had expected, most of the students were making speculations about why he wasn't on the train, but it wasn't until the first years came into the hall that he started to get really annoyed. Loud whispers went up and down the line of first years quickly. At least most the older students had the politeness to try and not be overheard. The first years weren't so polite, and Harry caught pieces of conversation about him quite clearly from throughout the hall.

"Look its Harry Potter."

"I wonder if it's true that there was a prophecy made about 'You Know Who' and him."

"I heard from my brother that Harry Potter wasn't coming back this year, because he was afraid 'You Know Who' was going to try and kill him again."

"Did you know that there has been an attack on his life every year since he started Hogwarts?"

"I heard that he wounded 'You Know Who' at the attack on the Ministry."

"That can't be true. 'You Know Who's' too powerful to be hurt by a boy."

"He's not just any boy. He's the 'Boy Who Lived'."

"That's just what the Prophet dubs him."

"I heard that he was angry at the Ministry for letting the Prophet print all those stories about him and Dumbledore."

"I think that the Prophet's jealous because Potter gave the Quibbler an exclusive."

"I thought he wore glasses."

Harry snorted with amusement at the last comment, and the first years nearer to him, looked at him oddly. At least some of what they were gossiping about was true. Harry now wondered exactly what had been printed in the Prophet about him throughout the beginning of the summer. He had cast aside reading the prejudice piece of trash, but he was now realizing how sorely out of the loop he was. After all, the Prophet did sprout the truth occasionally.

Harry pushed his thoughts aside as Professor McGonagall entered with the Sorting Hat and the first years became silent with anticipation as the Sorting Hat came to life and began to sing its very brief… song.

'_Though I may be just an old Hat,_

_I have a job to look in your mind,_

_Do not be scared by what I might find,_

_For one word will escape my Lips,_

_And that will be the place were you belong,_

_Do not fear I have never been wrong,_

_Now on with the separation,_

_Away with you to Brave and Noble Gryffindor,_

_Or Smart and Logical Ravenclaw,_

_Down to Cunning Slytherin with their Great Ambition,_

_The rest do not fret;_

_Will go to Humble and Loyal Hufflepuff,_

_Now on with the sorting.'_

With that, the Sorting Hat went silent and applause slowly broke throughout the hall, but Harry was too lost in thought by the Hat's words to notice. It claimed to never be wrong. Harry looked over to his friends. He couldn't even sit with them, and even now being as far away as he was from them was still uncomfortable. Harry was so lost in his memory about his visit from the Dark Lord that he didn't refocus until he heard the last name called and sorted into Ravenclaw and applause sounded throughout the hall again.

Hermione's eyes met his before Harry stood up abruptly still staring at her. There was only one way to prove to Riddle that he belonged in Gryffindor, and that was to be resorted. Harry finally looked away from Hermione and walked up to McGonagall before she even had the chance to pick up the hat. "Professor, I'd like to be resorted," Harry said in a soft but determined voice.

There was a collective gasp from students and professors alike, and the hall erupted in noise but instantly quieted as Dumbledore stood up and raised his hands to silence them. "Silence!"

"But, Mr. Potter, that…" Professor McGonagall began.

"Hasn't been done in over fifty years, I have read Hogwarts a History, Professor. I've looked and there isn't anything in the by laws against being resorted," Harry interrupted McGonagall who gave him a stern look for doing so.

Dumbledore moved around the table from his seat and gave Harry a firm look. "If you so wish to be resorted you may be resorted. Headmaster Dippet did not stop the last young man and I shall not stop you."

Harry registered at hint of confidence in the old man's voice and that gave Harry a little more confidence to do what he knew had to be done. It also gave Harry the slightest hope that he would stay in Gryffindor.

"I do," Harry said firmly and it was as if the entire hall held their breaths as they waited for McGonagall's answer.

"Very well Mr. Potter, if that is what you want, take a seat."

Harry sat on the small stool at the front of the hall. He remembered the first time he had sat their. How nervous he was, and how much he wished that he didn't have to be their, with everyone's eyes on him. But now, as he saw the eyes of everyone on him again and as the large hat was lowered onto his head and then fell over his eyes, just as it had done the first time, Harry had none of the feelings that his younger self had felt.

'_Harry Potter, back again_?' the Sorting Hat asked in his mind.

'_Yes, you said you were never wrong, now's your chance to prove it. I want to be resorted_,' Harry answered back with determination even in his inner voice.

'_Hmm, interesting, the last person I resorted stayed in their same house. Yes, Tom Riddle showed much loyalty to Slytherin that day._' The hat sat silently for a long time before speaking again. '_Placing you seems to be very difficult indeed, you have new knowledge I see. You still hold all the bravery and loyalty of Gryffindor. But everything else about you leans towards Slytherin. Your dislike for Muggles for instance, and your desire for power stand out most, among that which has changed in you. _Again the hat sat motionless and silent for a long moment. _I still say the same thing I said the last time you put me on your head, Potter. You would do well in…_'

"_SLYTHERIN_!"

Harry ripped the hat angrily off of his head, just as the hat sounded out the name that Harry dreaded hearing. He threw the hat to the stone floor. "Fine!" Harry shouted at it as he ran out of the Great Hall. The feast that was ahead of them, was completely forgotten, by the loud whispers and outraged cries of both the Gryffindor and Slytherin houses, which followed him out of the hall.

A/N: What will Harry do? Take Voldemort's deal? How will his friends react? How will the Slytherins react?


	14. New Friends

_Harry finds himself accepted into the Slytherin House too quickly, forced onto the Slytherin Quidditch team, and in a dorm unlike anything, he has ever seen._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Fourteen- New Friends

Harry sat alone in a dark corridor somewhere on the fourth floor. At least that was where he assumed he was. He hadn't been counting how many flights of stairs he had climbed as he fled from the Great Hall and the collective student body of Hogwarts. He did vaguely remembered passing the Library. The deserted corridor Harry had chosen to hide in had windows lining it, which overlooked the lake, but Harry wasn't looking out them. He was currently sitting against the opposite wall, his knees drawn up to his chest, and his head is his crossed arms. Rain pelted against the glassed windows, but Harry took little notice.

To any passerby, not that there had been any in the last hour or so, Harry would appear asleep, as he didn't move a muscle and his breathing was deep and shallow. Not even Occlumency was helping to stop his thoughts. It was his own fault. If he hadn't tried to prove to Voldemort that he was a Gryffindor, he never would have ended up a Slytherin. He didn't care what his family ancestry was, he knew where he belonged, in Gryffindor. A depressing thought suddenly came to Harry, and he lifted his head from his arms and stared out at the stormy night as flashes of lightning lit up the hallway sporadically. Perhaps it was for the best that he was no longer a Gryffindor.

The curse would keep him from his friends anyway. They just cared for him too much. Wouldn't it be better to be in a house where no one cared for him at all? At least he'd be able to live his life, or what was left of it. He would not have to get away from those around him, just so he wouldn't have to feel that horrible pain again.

Harry hadn't heard the footsteps of the person who now stood in front of him, because of the thunder that echoed through the empty halls. He looked through his much longer raven hair, which had fallen over his face, hiding his sad and angry emerald eyes. He brushed his hair back with one hand and stared up at the man. "I bet you're just loving this," Harry spat coldly. "What do you want?" Under normal circumstances, Harry would never have been so callus to Snape, but at the moment, he could care less about anything in the world.

Harry ignored the glare of the tall boy that stood beside Snape. "I realize that this is not the ideal situation for you, Potter. Professor Dumbledore has offered, very unusually, that you may remain in Gryffindor, if you wish, not that you deserve to. Yet again you have let your arrogance blind you, and yet again, I believe that you must deal with the consequences," Snape seethed as he narrowed his eyes on Harry.

Harry looked away from Snape, he thought about it only a second. "No, I'll stay in Slytherin," Harry barely voiced his answer and then he looked back up to Snape, who clearly had surprise in his onyx eyes. "Not that is pleases me any."

"As you are now in my house, I will refrain from taking points from you, Potter. But I will not tolerate you insolent attitude," Snape breathed. "Now, I believe that you have met Blaise Zabini. He is one of your new dorm mates." The boy nodded. "I suggest that you become well acquainted with him as he will be the only person in your dorm that is likely to not wish harm on you."

Harry looked to the boy. Snape's words were true, but Harry hadn't thought of it before. He'd now be sharing a room, with Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, and Malfoy, all who had fathers that were Death Eaters, all who would rather see Harry dead.

"Think of me as your new body guard, Potter," Zabini laughed.

"And who's going to protect you?" Harry said with skepticism laced in his voice as he got to his feet. Harry so desperately wanted to add i '_from me_.' /i 

"I suggest the two of you go to your common room. It is near curfew, and I would prefer not to see any Slytherins caught wandering about after hours. It reflects poorly on the rest of the house," Snape sneered as he turned to leave.

"What about my stuff?" Harry asked coldly, and then backed against the wall as Snape rounded on him. Harry could have sworn that a brief smile touched the lips of his new head of house, at letting himself be startled.

"The house elves will have already moved them by the time you get to your dorm, and Professor Dumbledore will see to it that the more delicate items will be moved into Professor Friedens' office," Snape answered and then quickly left the boys alone. Harry let himself breath again as Snape stalked down the hall and disappearing around the corner, with a swish of his robes. He knew exactly what Snape had meant by the more delicate items. The Vampirism Potion and it's ingredients.

"Are you scared of Snape?"

"What?" Harry asked, startled by the sudden question.

"It's just I noticed that you only let down your guard once he was gone," Blaise pointed out what was obviously true, but Harry wasn't going to except it.

"I'm not afraid of anyone, least of all Snape." Was he afraid of Snape? Harry nearly snorted to himself at the thought, of course not.

Blaise shrugged. "Well, Potter, I guess it's you and me now. I think it's time that you see what luxuries being a Slytherin has over the rest of the school. Starting with the common room," Blaise said as he started walking in the same direction that Snape had disappeared.

Harry reluctantly began to follow him. Where else was he going to go, he couldn't sleep in the hallway all night. "I've seen the common room, it's not that impressive."

"You've seen the Slytherin common room?" Blaise asked not with anger, but interest in his voice.

Harry shrugged, "I impersonated Goyle in my second year with the Polyjuice Potion," Harry intentionally left out Ron, not wanting to give the Slytherin's something more against the Gryffindor's.

"You brewed Polyjuice Potion in your second year!" Blaise stopped in his tracks and looked at him in surprise for a moment, and then surveyed Harry with a half smile on his face. "I'm quite impressed Potter, and here I always thought that you were horrible at potions."

Harry didn't bother correcting him that Hermione had been the one to make most of the potion. A twitch of a smile touched Harry's lips. "Just don't tell Professor Snape. I think he's already curious enough of how I managed an O on his O.W.L., and I had to break into his stores to get the ingredients," Harry boasted.

Blaise snorted and then continued walking. "Don't worry about that. I don't think that there is a Slytherin at Hogwarts who hasn't broken into Snape's personal stores, with the exception of the first years, of course. It's kind of an initiation thing, a dare. Only two people in the last five years have been caught, and that was Crabbe and Goyle," Blaise laughed and Harry couldn't help but be amused by that. "Come on Potter, the common room doesn't hold a candle to our dorm room. It has to be the most unique in Hogwarts. I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Harry got a lot of stares as he and Zabini entered into the Slytherin Common room a few minutes later, mostly because he still wore Gryffindor robes. Malfoy slithered up to them flanked by what appeared to be the rest of the sixth years. Harry just glared at Malfoy, but it was Malfoy who did the strangest thing.

Malfoy held out his hand to Harry. "Welcome to Slytherin." Harry looked at the boy's hand skeptically before he shook it, as the whole of the common room was watching. Malfoy released his hand almost immediately. "The house elves have already brought your stuff down and your trunk and Firebolt are in the dorm."

"My Firebolt?" asked Harry, he hadn't thought that he'd get it back.

"Yes, McGonagall dropped it off a few minutes ago," Malfoy sneered. "Don't think she wanted to give it up. I think that she knows that she is giving up any chance of Gryffindor ever winning another match." The people around them sniggered. "With you as our new seeker, none of the other houses stand a chance."

Harry narrowed his eyes at Malfoy. "Do you really think that I'm going to join the Slytherin Quidditch team?"

Malfoy seemed to ignore Harry's remark. "Yes, we need a seeker, as I'm taking one of the empty chaser positions, and we already know you're good, so you don't have to try out. Besides, wouldn't it be better to play against those Muggle lovers and Mudbloods then…"

Harry had his wand out before Malfoy even had a chance to finish his sentence. He held it to Malfoy's throat. "Say that again Malfoy and you'll be begging the Sorting Hat to put me back in Gryffindor."

"Potter don't…" Blaise said quietly and unconvincingly from beside him.

"Mudblood," Malfoy said calmly with a smirk on his face.

Harry didn't even bother with his wand. He punched Malfoy in the nose and then used the spell he had learned the day before to throw everyone back away from him, by several feet. Harry staggered back and then fell to the floor, his head spinning. There was a loud bang as the common room door slammed opened and Snape came in.

"Who's fighting?" Snape snarled as he eyed everyone in the room, especially those who were picking themselves up off of the floor.

Malfoy wiped away the blood from his nose, with the back of his hand and walked up to Snape. "It was my fault Professor, I provoked him, he doesn't know about the Anti Dueling Wards."

Harry, the spinning in his head abating, shot to his feet in shock. Malfoy was standing up for him?

"Very well Draco. I suggest you teach him the rules of Slytherin house," Snape sneered and began to leave.

"Yes Professor and good news. Potter's decided to join the Quidditch team," Malfoy gave a sly smile at Harry's stunned expression.

Snape turned around briefly. "Excellent," Snape said and then with his usual billowing of robes left the common room.

Malfoy turned on Harry just as the door closed. "That dizzy, disoriented feeling you just had, was the Anti Dueling Wards, meant to incapacitate the caster. My suggestion is that you think twice before casting any spells against us, the feeling just gets worse with every time you do it."

"I'll do what I want Malfoy. Where do you get off telling Snape that I'm going to be on the Quidditch team?" Harry spat.

"As I was saying Potter, wouldn't it be better to play against those," Harry gave Malfoy a dangerous look and Malfoy just smiled, "Gryffindors, then not play at all?"

Harry turned around to walk away form Malfoy and his cronies. He hadn't taken two steps when he sighed and turned back. "Fine, I'll be your bloody Seeker," Harry had lost a lot in the last summer. Quidditch was something he could hold onto, even if it meant playing against his friends. Harry knew then that he would be doing a lot of compromising this year. Harry turned to Blaise who was standing several feet away. "Where's our dorm room?"

Blaise smiled. "This way, Potter. I've heard our dorm even rivals that of the headmaster's."

A long dark hallway, and several flights of downward stairs later, found Harry, escorted by not only Blaise, but the rest of the sixth year boys as well, standing outside of a large black wood door. Malfoy pushed Blaise and the other Slytherins aside. He opened up the door with a superior smirk on his lips that made Harry want to take another swing at the blond prat. But Harry was thrown from his thoughts as the door swung open, and he was absolutely amazed by what lay before him. The majority of the room was set up just like Gryffindor's but with the Slytherin green colors. That wasn't the impressive part, no not by far. The impressive part was that where the stone ceiling and walls should have been, was walls and a ceiling of water. They were deep below the lake, and just outside of the Merpeople's village.

"Wow," Harry breathed, "and I though Gryffindor Tower was impressive. Exactly what is between us and the water?" Harry asked, ignoring the pompous smile on Malfoy's face.

"Magic," whispered Blaise, he too had an arrogant smile on his face. "But you haven't seen anything yet. Wait till you see our bathroom."

"Later," Malfoy interrupted. "Potter, your bed is over there, don't worry we haven't done anything to your stuff, yet," Harry rolled his eyes at the blond boy's snide remark. "Now for the initiation, normally it's just for first years, but seeing the hat sorted you in here a little late, I'm sure we can come up with something a little harder."

"If your talking about me breaking into Snape's stores, I've already done that, besides wouldn't it be a little pointless now that they belong to Professor Friedens?" Harry said. He now held the smug smile at Malfoy's shock.

"Friedens?" asked Malfoy, "the new Minister?"

"Didn't Dumbledore tell you at the feast?" Harry said, looking to the Slytherins around him, even Blaise shook his head no, so Dumbledore really hadn't told them.

"Right after you got sorted, Dumbledore disappeared, just Apparated right there. It was really impressive, because he took all the Heads of Houses with him," Blaise explained. "Sinistra and Vector had the hardest time trying to get everyone to shut up. Finally, Snape came back and got everyone to calm down, and he made the feast appear."

"Yeah, enough about Dumbledore. What do you mean Snape's stores belong to Professor Friedens? The Minister of Magic is teaching here?" Malfoy interrupted Blaise uncaringly.

A smirk came to Harry's lips. "She's the new Potions Professor. And she's the Minister's sister. Snape's finally got himself the job of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," Malfoy's mouth nearly fell open at Harry's words.

"There goes learning anything in Defense this year," Blaise said with a hint of disappointment in his voice. "I really had hoped we'd have a better teacher after Umbridge."

"Looks like book work again. I doubt we'll be doing any practical work. It would be cool to have a dueling club again or something similar," Nott said exasperatedly as he moved to his wardrobe and pulled out his nightclothes. "Well at least we might learn something in Potions this year."

Harry's mouth twitched as he tried to keep from laughing. He never thought that he would ever hear a Slytherin speak badly of Severus Snape. "Umm, you guys think Professor Snape can't teach either?"

"Come on Potter, everyone knows that Snape's really good at potions and the Dark Arts stuff, but the man can't teach worth a damn," Malfoy said with a huff. "Everyone, but maybe Granger knows that. Anyways the first years will just have to break into Friedens' stores. You on the other hand, I think her office should do, but not tonight, Snape's probably got Filch prowling the floor. Or he's doing it himself, just to try and catch us dueling again."

Harry was about to ask why Lyndira's office but Malfoy yawned as if he were bored, and then turned away from him, and left the dorm. "Where's he going?" Harry asked no one.

"Probably went to tell the first years to meet him tomorrow night in the common room, at midnight. He told them to stay behind just before you arrived. Nott shrugged uncaringly. "He wanted them to all stay behind for the initiation but with Snape near by, it's a bust for tonight."

"Yeah after all the object is to not get caught isn't it, Crabbe, Goyle?" Zabini snickered at the two who were getting ready for bed at the same time as running into each other. They glared at Zabini in unison for a moment and then went back to their charade of running into each other again. Harry arched an eyebrow at the two and then went to his own wardrobe. "Then of course he will adjourn to the prefects bathroom, where he will proceed to admire himself in the mirror, while doing his nightly grooming ritual," Zabini said formally and straight faced.

There was complete silence, the kind of silence were crickets could be heard, for almost half a second. Then there was an outburst of laughter from the room, and even Crabbe and Goyle had started snickering, when the door burst open and Malfoy sauntered in. "What's so funny?" Everyone was silent for no more then a moment before they burst into laughter again. Even Harry couldn't help but laugh, as Malfoy rolled his eyes with obvious boredom, grabbed his robe and a towel from his wardrobe, and a pair of green slippers from the floor, and left the dorm again. All the while, with a scowl on his face.

A/N: Now that Harry's a Slytherin, will he start getting along with them?


	15. A Change of Opinion

_Harry decides that it's time to restart the D.A. He gets another offer from Voldemort, and a detention with Snape._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Fifteen – A Change of Opinion

Harry stormed out of his N.E.W.T. level Defense classroom, slamming the door behind him. It was taking every ounce of control to not turn back into the classroom and curse Snape where he stood. The man was infuriating. Harry marched down the hall ignoring the projection that followed him. He shouldn't have walked out of the classroom the way he had, but Voldemort was tugging at his mind, and Snape was too easy a target, even in front of the whole Defense class. Harry hated the feelings that welled up inside him, but Merlin help him, he wanted to see Severus Snape dead, what was worse, he wanted to be the one to kill him.

"I thank you for the power you are supplying me with, Potter," Voldemort smirked and even though Harry had his back to the man he could feel the superior leer.

Harry turned around abruptly anger and hatred awash over his face. "Why won't you just leave me alone? Isn't it obvious that your goading me into attacking Snape is not working?"

"And why would I want you to attack Severus, he's one of my more loyal servants. No your anger towards that man is all your own," Voldemort's smirk grew larger and Harry's anger boiled over.

"THEN WHAT DO YOU WANT!" Harry yelled venomously, his voice echoing off the walls.

"For you to join me of course," Voldemort's reply was calm and the superior grin did not leave his lips.

"NO!" Harry shouted and proceeded to storm down the hall again.

A door flew open in front of him, and McGonagall stepped out, with a sour look on her face. "Five points from Slytherin, Mr. Potter. You are disrupting my class. Who are you shouting at?"

Harry quickly looked over his shoulder to see that Voldemort had vanished. He took a deep breath in to calm himself down. He shook slightly from emotional exhaustion. The last week had been ruff, and it was starting to take its toll. After he let out his long held breath, he looked back to McGonagall, an impenetrable mask over his features. "I'm sorry Professor. I didn't mean to disturb your class," Harry said calmly before he started to walk by his old head of house.

"Mr. Potter, are you alright?"

Harry stopped and looked to the old woman, debating whether or not to tell her that Snape had given him detention. Had he really just gotten that angry over detention? It was more then that, from the moment he had stepped foot into the classroom, Snape had it out for him, just waiting for a slip up. It wouldn't have made him so angry if he had done something wrong, but he hadn't. On the contrary, he had done everything right. He had answered every question correctly in Defense, and done the entire spell work superbly. So much so, that Snape had awarded him fifty house points for his impressive skill. Then he had pulled him aside, and given him detention, claiming that he was using Merlin's magic to help him. As if! He didn't need Merlin's magic to help him in defense, he was already ten times better then the average student. Merlin's magic was just a bonus.

At least he hadn't given him the detention in front of the class. He already had enough problems with his dorm mates. He didn't need them laughing at him for an undeserved detention. The fifty house points would keep the Slytherins off his back, for at least a week. Well, all but Malfoy. The boy was still just as arrogant and pompous as ever. Probably even more so since Harry had moved into the dorm. He still didn't understand why the prat was appearing to be Harry's new best mate in front of the school, when all the blond brat did in the Slytherin dormitories, was rant about how much he'd like to see him dead. Harry wasn't going to play the ferret's games.

Harry shook his head. "I'm fine, again I'm sorry about disrupting your class," Harry said and then quickly walked away with out being dismissed.

As he had rounded the corner, not looking where he was going, Harry walked right into Hermione. Actually, he tripped over her, as she was picking up a dropped book. Harry would have landed on top of her if he hadn't turned to land hard on the ground instead. What was she doing out of class?

"Harry, are you all right?"

Hermione's concern was like a slap in the face and Harry scrambled to his feet and backed away from her so fast that Hermione dropped the other four books, which she was carrying. Harry nearly pushed himself into the wall with the need to get away from her. Anger boiled to the surface and he sprung to his feet and ran down the hall away from her, leaving Hermione looking over her shoulder at him with tears in her eyes, as he swiftly ran away. _I'm sorry, Hermione._

Harry sat down in one of the plush green couches in the Slytherin common room and rested the back of his head against the high backing of the couch. It had now been almost five hours since he had stormed out of Defense class and ran into Hermione. He could still see the tears in her hazel eyes, as he had fled from her. He hadn't wanted to hurt her. He hadn't wanted to hurt Ron the day before either, or Ginny the day before that. But it just seemed to keep happening.

Harry barely remembered what he had done after the encounter with Hermione. He had run, but it was all a haze. "I'm tired," Harry, sighed quietly as he closed his eyes, surprising himself that he could even relax in the Slytherin Common room. A welcomed calmness swept over him.

It had been a week since classes had started and the week had been one of the longest in Harry's life. Amazingly though, the week had been relatively normal, for him anyways. No one had commented on his switching of houses. In fact, the whispers that normally followed him around school had come to a dead silence. He had to wonder if someone had ordered them not to speak of it. Not even his friends had tried to approach him. However, that didn't keep him from running into them in the halls. He wanted to be with his friends but he could scarcely stand to be in the Great Hall with them. Even the few classes that he shared with them, was nearly unbearable, and he sat as far away as possible from them. The Slytherin's weren't helping much either.

"Potter!"

Harry groaned and looked up to Malfoy, "What do you want now?"

"Touchy tonight, aren't we Potter? What did you do, get caught?" Harry glared at Malfoy, not knowing what he was on about, but the boy either didn't care anymore or didn't notice. "Anyways, forgot to tell you earlier. We have Quidditch practice tomorrow, and I've held the pitch for us all day. So I better see you out there right after breakfast."

Harry sighed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever." Quidditch practice this early in the year, Malfoy obviously didn't want to loose the cup this year.

"Just make sure you show up, and catch the Snitch every game," Malfoy started to stalk off but turned around abruptly. "Only if we're going to win of course," he added as if it weren't obvious, before disappearing down the hallway to their dorms.

Harry was just getting up to follow him, when the door to the common room slammed open, and Snape came in with fire in his eyes. Harry sat back down abruptly and tried not to be noticed. He was supposed to be in detention over two hours ago, but had opted not to go.

"Potter!" snarled Snape.

Harry closed his eyes, as he sunk lower into the couch. He was glad that it wasn't facing the door. He almost wished that he could melt into the couch at the anger in Snape's voice. Snape's snarls had never bothered him before. Why were they bothering him now? Perhaps Zabini had been right. He was scared of him… No! He would not be scared of the greasy git. He was not scared of Voldemort, and there was no way that he was going to be scared of Snape.

"You, where's Potter?" Snape asked one of the Slytherins.

"I don't know Professor he was here a few minutes ago," Nott answered and Harry nearly stood up, was he covering for him?

"Mr. Goyle, go see if he's in your dormitory."

"Y-yes Professor," Goyle said in a small voice before Harry heard him run off. He was gone less then a minute before he came back panting. "He's not there Professor. Draco said that he saw him here less then five minutes ago, and he didn't follow him."

Harry could almost feel Snape's gaze roam around the common room and Harry was sure that he would be spotted, or in the very least be given away, as there were at least three first years sitting near by, that he remembered seeing before he had closed his eyes.

"Mr. Zabini, alert me the moment Potter returns," Snape seethed and Harry could hear the familiar swish of Snape's robes, as he exited the common room, without waiting for a reply.

Harry counted to three under his breath, before he heard the door close sharply behind Snape, and then he let out a sigh of relief. He opened his eyes to see three sets of very astonished eyes staring at him. Harry looked back at the first years for a moment in silence, before one of the three spoke, it was the one in the middle.

"Wow, how'd you do that, can you teach us?"

"Yeah that was amazing," the two on the ends that appeared to be almost identical twin boys said in unison.

"Do what?" Harry was almost afraid to ask.

"Turn yourself near invisible," The first boy said eagerly. "It was like you were a chameleon, blended right in. I've heard of that spell, was it the Disillusionment Charm?"

Harry looked at the three boys skeptically and then a wide smile came to his lips, "It wasn't. I really turned invisible?"

"You mean you didn't know you were doing it?" the twin on the left asked.

Harry shook his head, and got up from the couch, this was a new development. "I wonder if it's an animagus trait," Harry thought aloud as he headed to his dorm room, still with a smile on his face and a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He ignored Zabini's gaping astonished comments as he passed him, Nott and Goyle.

Harry awoke very early the next morning to the uncommonly loud snores coming from the direction of Crabbe and Goyle's beds. He rolled over and put his head under his pillow, but nothing could put a damper on the obnoxious sound. Harry threw aside his covers and pushed open his bed hangings. They were almost as bad as Dudley.

Harry looked out the non-existing wall. Not even the Merpeople were about at that hour. Harry glanced up to the watery ceiling. The dorm really was remarkable. There was only one problem with having a dorm underwater though. It was near impossible to tell what time it was, for there was no sky.

Harry shot his wrist up to the level of his eyes. He'd woken up with the sun so often in the past weeks that he'd nearly forgotten about his grandfather's watch, and had only started using is since moving into the Slytherin dorms. Harry squinted at the hands and numbers in the dim light of the room, quarter till five. Harry groaned, stretched, and rolled out of bed. He normally got up around six, but there was no way that he was going to get back to sleep with Crabbe and Goyle's racket. If he had been thinking clearly, he probably would have put a silencing charm around his bed. But it was, after all, before five in the morning, and his mind was still clouded by sleep.

Harry quietly opened his wardrobe and pushed, with a cringe, his multitude of new Slytherin robes aside. Evidentially the house elves had transfigured his Gryffindor robes into Slytherin. Harry's favorite color may be green, but he was quickly getting sick of the color, which seemed to be everywhere.

Casting his nightclothes aside, Harry changed into his chosen work out attire. He donned a pair of black military stile cargo pants, and a gray t-shirt. He had found them amazingly more comfortable then sweats, and he could easily store his wand, and the Marauder's Map in his pockets. Harry walked to his trunk and unlocked it. Merlin's Diaries were still scattered over everything in his trunk, just where he had left them. Harry pushed them aside and pulled out a pair of white cross trainers, which he promptly put on. He pulled out the Marauder's Map, and a small gold coin, before relocking his trunk.

Harry pocketed the coin, and left the dormitory and the defining snores behind. Before he reached the passageway out of the common room, he opened and tapped his wand to the blank parchment he held in his hand. "_I solemnly swear that I am up to no good_," Harry whispered and the map slowly appeared, drawing out the walls and passageways. Harry scanned the halls, which were expectantly deserted. Peeves was three floors up doing Merlin knew what, but there was no sign of a single teacher and even Filch was in his quarters with Mrs. Norris.

Harry walked through the stone entryway, and then the door that wasn't visible from the other side. He looked down the empty corridor. The sixth pillar from the corner marked the entryway back into the common room. Only a password at the correct place in the stonewall would make the door appear long enough to find the doorknob and open the door. Harry was a little more then disturbed that the Slytherin password was currently _Mors Mordre_.

Harry moved swiftly and silently through the halls until he reached the courtyard. He looked at his map once more, satisfied that no one was around, and tapped the map again. "_Mischief Managed_."

Harry folded the map and stuffed it into his left side pocket. The cool morning air was uplifting, and Harry breathed in heavily as he began to jog. He moved out of the confines of the courtyard and down the path towards the lake.

An hour later, Harry was sitting on the edge of the lake, basking in the morning sun when someone spoke in a delighted, but gruff voice behind him.

"Hi-ya Harry!"

Harry shot to his feet. "Hagrid, you're back," Harry said in surprise, a smile beginning to form on his lips. "Professor Dumbledore said that you were on a mission for the Order. He told me that you wouldn't be back for at least another month."

"Plans changed," Hagrid shrugged his massive shoulders. "Yeh're alright?" Hagrid asked after a moment of silence, walking towards Harry. "Professor Dumbledore told me about the sorting."

Harry took a step back. Though he hadn't begun to feel the pain yet, he had no intension of putting himself into a position to do so now. He'd managed not to feel the full force of the curse for nearly a month, and he was planning on keeping it that way. It was the majority of the reason why he had stayed in Slytherin. "Yeah, bad luck," Harry mumbled, still backing away towards the edge of the lake.

Harry started to sweat. Whether it was from the on set of the pain, or the fear of it, Harry didn't know. He felt the cool water from the lake soak into his shoes, and then darted around Hagrid. "I'm sorry Hagrid. I have to go – umm, I have to go," Harry repeated as he ran away from Hagrid and the lake. He didn't stop running until he reached the empty Quidditch Pitch, Where he calmed down considerably. Harry hated this. If he could have revealed the diaries to anyone, it would have been Hagrid. Harry felt as if he could trust the half giant with anything. Now he'd barley be able to get near him.

Harry meandered back to the Slytherin common room. People were just starting to stagger sleepy eyed off to an early breakfast. His dorm mates hadn't even begun to stir, which didn't surprise Harry in the least. Harry quickly showered and dressed and made his way to the Great Hall. Zabini had been right, the Slytherin bathroom was impressive, but the prefect's bathroom was more so. At least, the Gryffindor's was. As Harry walked, he reached into the pocket of his school robes and pulled out the small gold coin. He had transferred it from the pocket of his workout clothes. Harry had activated it early this morning. It was time to see who still had theirs and who still wanted to be in the D.A.

Harry looked at the coin, with mild fascination at Hermione's genius, and then he tossed it in the air and then pocketed it, before entering the Great Hall. He had originally not planed to continue the D.A. After thinking about it for a while though, and after having two, double Defense classes with Snape; Harry decided that it was better that the students be taught to defend themselves, especially if the teachers were not going to be doing the teaching. But Harry wasn't so sure they'd want to learn from him, now that he was a Slytherin. He'd gotten plenty of nasty looks from the student body throughout the week. Harry supposed he'd find out soon enough.

Harry caught himself before he went to sit at the Gryffindor table. He'd done this several times this week. Harry sat at the Slytherin table, just before a small group of second years at the end of the table, facing Gryffindor. He picked at a muffin as he waited nervously for the Gryffindors to arrive, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny in particular. This would be the first time that he wouldn't be running away from them all week, and he knew that it was going hurt.

Harry was startled out of his staring contest with the wall behind the Gryffindor table, by a pompous male voice. Harry didn't have to look up to know who the drawl of a voice belong to. "Are you going to eat that or just tear it to pieces?" Draco Malfoy asked uncaringly before shoving over a second year and sitting down beside him. Crabbe and Goyle proceeded to evict the other second years, and take their spots, while the rest of Harry's dorm mates, and the sixth year Slytherin girls, took the seats across from them. Harry rolled his eyes at Malfoy's comment and tossed aside his muffin, in favor of bacon and eggs, which promptly appeared on his plate.

Harry was just about to start eating when Malfoy started talking to him again. "So Potter, from what I hear, you disappeared awfully quick last night. Right before Snape came in looking for you. What was that about?"

Harry shrugged, what did it matter now, Snape would find him eventually anyways. Even, apparently, with his new found gift of being able to turn himself invisible. Or rather, Disillusion himself wandlessly, with a thought. He'd discovered what he'd done in one of Merlin's Diaries the night before. He had hoped that it was an animagus gift, but the advanced Disillusion Charm was good enough.

"I skived off on detention with him," Harry said as he picked up a piece of bacon. He was just about to put it in his mouth, when Malfoy's drawl of a voice, started again.

"No way, no wonder he was so peeved."

Harry dropped his bacon back onto his plate and turned to the blond boy. "What's it matter to you. You weren't even there."

"Neither were you, but then again that's not what I hear. What I gather from what a couple of first years told me. You were sitting in the common room the entire time. Now, I don't see that as possible, for the Head of Slytherin to just glance over the 'famous' Harry Potter. So are you going to tell us how you did it?"

Harry smirked. "What's the point? You can't do it anyways."

"Are you saying that I'm not smart enough to perform a simple enchantment?" Malfoy growled.

"No," Harry said in a bored tone, as he picked his bacon back up again. "I'm saying that you're not powerful enough," Harry smiled smugly and took a bite, enjoying his provocation of Malfoy. And he was getting the reaction he had hoped for, when the first of the D.A. members started to arrive at the table, followed by several others. Harry had to smile at the annoyed looks on the Slytherins' faces.

"What do you want?" demanded Malfoy in his usual pompous tone.

"Relax Malfoy, they're here to see me," Harry stood up and it was then that he noticed that the groups had come by houses. The Gryffindors were the last to arrive. There wasn't a single person missing, even Cho Chang had shown up.

"Hey guys," Harry addressed the crowd somewhat nervously, before he found his voice again. "So, I was thinking, that with Snape teaching Defense this year, that we might need some extra practice."

"You want to continue the D.A.?" Hermione asked, at last pushing herself to the front of the group.

"Dumbledore's Army, is that what this is about?" Malfoy smirked.

"No, Malfoy, it's the Defense Association this year. Even you have to agree, that we aren't going to learn anything in Snape's class. I for one don't want to fall behind on N.E.W.T. studies."

Hermione had a look on her face, as if Christmas had come early, but even she got a suspicious glint in her eyes at the next words out of Malfoy's mouth.

"Kind of like a study group with practical stuff?"

"That's a great idea, like Dueling Club all over again, but we'll actually be learning something," Nott said almost enthusiastically.

"Hang on, who's going to be teaching us if not Snape?" Zabini asked.

"Who said anything about us? We've already got our members," Ron blurted out and there were several nods from the rest of the D.A. members.

Malfoy stood up. He was now just as tall as Ron was, and he looked the Gryffindor in the eye with loathing. "What Weasel? Is your little group not good enough to have a Slytherin in it?"

Eyes darted back and forth between Ron and Malfoy, but it was obvious that it was Harry's reaction that they sought out the most. So Harry chose that moment to reveal what he had spent a good part of the week thinking about.

"Actually, I was going to open the D.A. to anyone that wanted to join. I figure, we're all in the same boat. Why not help ourselves and each other. The more people we have in the group, the more ideas we'll have of what to study. I've done a lot of reading this summer, and there are so many things out there that we should know, but no one's bothered to teach us."

Hermione openly gapped at Harry's statement, and it was obvious that the Slytherin's in hearing distance were having a hard time grasping that Harry was being sincere. But it was Ron that started to argue. "But look what the Slytherin's did last year. They tried to get us expelled by telling toad-lady about us. I don't even think that Dumbledore would want them in the D.A. anymore."

There were several nods around the group from those agreeing with Ron. Harry frowned at the group's obvious prejudice, and Zabini voiced what Harry was thinking.

"Not all of us, most of us were against Umbridge, just like the rest of you. We hated her. She was absolutely boring, and she didn't teach us a thing. It was by sheer miracle that I didn't fail my Defense O.W.L." There were several nods of agreement at that.

"He has a point Ron, and it wasn't a Slytherin who revealed the group to Umbridge anyways, it was a Ravenclaw," Cho mumbled.

"Look, we aren't Dumbledore's Army, they don't exist. The D.A. was created so that we can learn what they," Harry pointed towards the staff table with anger and a hint of resentment in his low voice, "aren't teaching us."

"But they're Slytherin's!" Ron nearly shouted.

Harry pounded his fist on the table and a wave of power followed, that over turned goblets and shattered glass pitchers down the length of the table, causing several Slytherin's to leap away from the table in alarm. "SO AM I!" Harry shouted back.

"Mr. Potter!" a stern voice sounded from behind the D.A. members, and they parted to let the professor through. "What is going on here?"

"I apologize, Professor McGonagall. It would seem that we have a bit of a disagreement going on. I'll clean it up," Harry said, quickly reining in his anger, which was amazingly less then it had been lately. _Maybe Voldemort's taking a vacation, yeah right._

"No need, Mr. Potter, let the house elves take care of it. Please come with me, the Headmaster would like a word with you. The rest of you back to your house tables. Mr. Weasley, I would like to see you and Mr. Potter in my office directly after lunch."

"Yes Professor," Ron said as he glared at Harry uncertainly, before following Hermione back to their table.

There were a few murmurs and looks at Harry, before everyone else did as they were told, not wanting to cross McGonagall. Harry, his breakfast forgotten, followed McGonagall out of the Great Hall.

He walked in silence before he realized that they weren't going were he thought they were going. It definitely wasn't the direction of the headmaster's office. "Umm, Professor where are we going?" he asked.

"Professor Friedens' office, she and Professor Dumbledore would like a word. And I believe Professor Snape would like several," Professor McGonagall stopped abruptly in the hall and turned to Harry. "Why did you ask to be resorted?"

Harry was caught off guard by the sudden question from his head of house, _old head of house_, but he quickly recovered. "I had to," was all Harry said before he continued walking. He was sure that he was going to get the same question from Dumbledore. He didn't know why no one had bothered to ask him yet, and he had become very annoyed that Dumbledore had been avoiding him, again. Harry was beginning to see that it was going to be last term all over again in regards to Dumbledore.

And sure enough, a minute later, just as Harry and McGonagall walked though Lyndira's door, Dumbledore stood up and asked that exact question. Harry smiled at Dumbledore, it wasn't a happy smile. "I'm the heir of Slytherin, or one of them anyways. And just for dramatic effect, I'm also a descendent of Gryffindor. Of course, you already knew that, didn't you?"

"Yes," Dumbledore said calmly. "But that does not explain why you chose to be resorted."

"Because Professor, I asked the hat not to place me in Slytherin, and I had to know if I was a true Gryffindor, but obviously I'm not," Harry said quietly as he looked away from Dumbledore.

There was silence, before Dumbledore walked up to Harry, after several very long seconds. "Harry, is there something that you'd like to tell us?"

Harry looked up to Dumbledore's blue-eyed gaze, "nothing that I can tell you. Why?" Harry questioned.

Lyndira who had thus far remained silent spoke in a very strained calm voice, "a vial of the potion is gone."

"The potion… My potion, the Vampirism Potion, what do you mean it's gone?" Harry asked with a very scared look in his eyes.

A/N: Ah-oh Harry.


	16. The Calm Before Madness

_Harry had never thought that asking to be resorted would have such horrible consequences, but when one of his new dorm mates turns out to be a spy for the order, and Voldemort again offers him a spot in his ranks, Harry finds himself formulating plans that seem just as insane as speaking to a madman in his head._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Sixteen – The Calm Before Madness

"What do you mean it's gone?" Harry's eyes darted around the room, taking in every dark nook and cranny but his voice remained calm and leveled. "I need that potion, who took it?" Panic started to cloud his mind until he noticed that someone was missing and anger leapt there instead. "Snape," Harry seethed before he brushed passed his professors, and out into the hall. Snape was the only other person with access to the potion besides… Harry came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the hall and it was as if a block had been lifted from his mind. All color drained from his face. "I forgot. It must be a side effect," Harry whispered to himself and his eyes widened in sudden realization and horror, as the nights events came flooding back to him.

_Harry abruptly sat up from the floor of Lyndira's office where he had collapsed. He dragged in a ruff long breath and abruptly started coughing. He was covered in sweat. His body felt like it had been frozen, and he swore that there was frost on his hands. It was taking huge amounts of effort to keep air in his lungs. His head shot up to the source of laughter that filled the air. It was almost childish, until it turned cold at the glare that Harry gave the Dark Lord, Riddle, as he unsuccessfully tried to get his coughing under control. _

"_This is why you should not cross me Harry Potter. I would have told you what effects Unicorn Blood has on the body, but you would not listen. Join me and this madness will stop…" the Dark Lords voice trailed off. "Your mind is strengthening! WHY?" Voldemort snarled suddenly._

_A dark smile came to Harry's lips just as his coughing became manageable. "I've had enough of you and your emotions, my emotions… The potion may be a little extreme, but at least now I won't feel…"_

Harry turned back to the professors who had followed him out, and ran his shaking hand through his raven hair. What had he done? He looked to his feet as he summoned the courage to reveal what he had done, the previous night. Until that very moment, the entire night had been a blank to him. He had taken it for a night just like any other. He hadn't realized that he was missing pieces of it. "I took the potion last night..."

"Harry why didn't you just tell us that you had the vial?" asked Lyndira.

"No, you misunderstand. I drank the potion last night, not that it seems to be working," Harry said quietly as he looked at the laces on his shoes intently. How could he forget? Maybe he wanted to forget. It certainly was not something that he wanted to remember. And why wasn't it working, it had worked fine last night. He had a night of peace without Voldemort's emotions. But now he could feel them again. Why?

Dumbledore's eyes grew very serious. "You drank the potion without any supervision?"

"Professor I don't need to be looked after…" Harry blurted out and then calmed his voice considerably. Harry shook his head at his own stupidity. "Until a few minutes ago I didn't even remember doing it. Malfoy decided last night that he'd initiate me into Slytherin… His task seemed simple enough, break into Professor Friedens' office and take something that she wouldn't miss, but I couldn't easily get anywhere else in the castle. The potion was sitting there in its small vial when I opened the cupboard… I tried to ignore it, but I was so angry at everything, myself… I took the potion so quickly I didn't even realize it until it hit my system..." Harry shuddered and paled considerably against the revealed disturbing memory. Voldemort knew that he had taken the potion. He was there, but why?

"Harry, I suggest we go to the hospital wing and have Madam Pomfrey check you over," Harry nodded once and followed Dumbledore without question.

Several minutes later, Harry sat on one of the crisp clean hospital beds, nervously ringing his hands, while Madam Pomfrey ran her wand over him. "I see nothing wrong with you Mr. Potter. Are you sure you took that potion? I haven't even found any trace of it in you system."

Harry gave an involuntary shutter. "Yes, I'm sure of it. I remember every detail of what it felt like. I could feel the potion flowing through my veins as if someone had injected ice into them. I-it was excruciating, but lasted only a few moments. Then I felt… an irresistible calm come over me… I remember that I stood there for a while just staring at my hands. Then I blacked out and woke up again on the floor. I assume a few minutes later or so. Then I left, next thing I remember I was sitting down in the common room…" Harry rose an eyebrow, in thought. "That would explain Malfoy's reaction. I never did bring anything back with me. I just shrugged it off as another one of Malfoy's tiffs," Harry said the last bit in a mumble that was more an out loud thought. Most of what he told them was true. Of course, he left out his interaction with Voldemort. Harry had decided a while ago, that they would deem him insane if he told them about being able to project the Dark Lord. Which then led to him questioning his own sanity, after all, he spoke to a mass murderer almost on a regular basis now.

Dumbledore conjured a plush armchair and sat down in it with a heavy sigh. He removed his half moon glasses and put his head in one of his aged hands. "Minerva, would you be so kind, as to find Severus and bring him here please?" Dumbledore said without lifting his head. McGonagall nodded and left the hospital wing. After she was gone, he looked up to Lyndira. "Lyndira, could you please retrieve what's left of Harry's potion, with the ingredients, and the powder of a silver moonstone, and take them to my office…"

Harry jumped off the bed quickly and pushed passed Madam Pomfrey, panic clear in his voice. "No, you can't destroy them! You don't understand, I need this potion," Harry said getting in Lyndira's way, before she had a chance to leave. The powder of a silver moonstone, with a little fire, could incinerate any kind of magically enhanced potion ingredients, ingredients such as Unicorn Blood. Honestly, Harry was surprised that he remembered that. He had learnt about it in his first year through an essay given to the class by Snape. _Had he just said that he had learned something from Snape_? Harry thought with disgust.

"Harry this potion is not helping you. You are not seeing yourself the way I am. You're angry and hurtful. You have not been yourself…"

"That's exactly why I need this potion!" Harry interjected.

"Potter, you are stupid and rash!" Snape came through the open door to the infirmary, interrupting Dumbledore and Harry's argument. "Has the Unicorn blood started to react yet?" he asked Dumbledore who had banished his chair and was now standing beside Harry.

"From what I have seen, no, but that of course does not mean that it won't," Dumbledore said with an almost angry sigh. Dumbledore had been showing many emotions as of late, and it hadn't gone unnoticed by Harry, that most of the emotions revealed, were because of him. "We know too little about this potion."

"How long ago did you take it, Potter?" Snape asked looking the boy, close to a man, over.

Harry looked away from Snape's searching eyes. "Last night, just before you came looking for me. And it's not working, I feel fine."

"The book gave detailed descriptions of the side effects…"

"Yes, and I haven't had any," Harry interrupted him angrily, as a dizzy feeling fell over him and then a welcomed calm came over him, as he felt all emotion fall away. A small smile touched Harry's lips. "Finally," Harry breathed. He looked to Snape and the man actually flinched at the darkness that momentarily swirled in Harry's eyes, though Harry didn't notice. "I have Quidditch practice, Sir. If I have any horrible side effects, I'll be sure to tell someone. Please excuse me," Harry said politely before he left the hospital wing leaving several very confused staff members behind, and unbeknownst to Harry, one greasy haired Defense teacher itching to curse him.

Harry felt as if he didn't have a care in the world, as he walked back into the Great Hall and approached Ron, Ginny and Hermione. His friends, this was the real test, would the potion help against the curse. Harry sat down beside Ginny and looked at Hermione and Ron across from them. He braced himself for the pain, but it never came. "Hey guys," Harry said as Hermione's and Ron's heads snapped up from their almost finished meals.

"Harry," Ginny said and pointed out the obvious, "you're sitting with us."

"Yes Ginny, I'm sitting with you. I found a way to subdue the curse," Harry smiled, not truly genuine, rather plain, but it was a smile.

"Does that mean you'll be coming back to Gryffindor then?" Ron asked hopefully.

The smile faded from Harry's lips, but he wasn't angry. He wasn't sad. He wasn't anything. It was simply a reflex. "No, Ron. I made my choice and I have to live with that. But that doesn't mean that we can't be friends," Harry started to feel a tingle of the curse but it was just that. A reminder that he was on barrowed time, as he'd already learned the side effects weren't consistent. Harry stood up from the table. "I've got Quidditch practice."

"You're on the Slytherin Quidditch team? Bloody Hell, we'll never win a match again," Ron put his head in his hands and Harry forced a small laugh.

"I'm only the seeker. We still have the same moronic players as the other years, and if I'm correct, even the new players are going to need a lot of work to be anywhere near as good as Gryffindor," Harry looked down at Ginny and smiled. "Doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you though, Weasley."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Ginny smiled back, and Harry had that same tingling sensation of the curse, it was getting worse.

Harry stepped back. "Well, I've got to go. Hermione I would appreciate it if you could post a sign up sheet for the D.A. I think that we should get as many members as possible."

"Harry, you do realize that we'll be going up against Professor Snape with restarting the D.A. He's not going to like that you are trying to out teach him in Defense," Hermione voiced her concerns but they were forced, she was obviously ecstatic about the D.A., but concerned that it was going to get him in trouble.

"If the man can't teach that's not my problem. Unless he some how manages to turn into Umbridge with her educational decrees and such, which is very unlikely, there's nothing he can do about it. There is no rule saying that a student can't hold a study group or in this case create a defense club, sanctioned by a staff member," Harry explained as he glanced over at the staff table and nodded to Professor Flitwick, who nodded pleasantly back. Harry then looked to the Slytherin table were the last of his new team mates were just setting off to the Quidditch Pitch. Malfoy was waiting impatiently by the door and Harry smirked at him.

"You got a staff member to sanction the D.A, already, who?" Hermione asked looking to the staff table herself.

"Professor Flitwick," Harry stated plainly and then rolled his eyes in the direction of Malfoy, who was motioning him to get a move on. "I really got to go now, before Malfoy throws another tantrum. I'll talk to you guys at dinner," Harry left his friends behind just as the potion started to fluctuate and his emotions started to return.

Harry started to wonder how long the side effects were supposed to last before he had to take the potion again. The book hadn't really given an estimated time, as it focused more on the vampire effects and not the side effects. This led Harry to another question, why hadn't he had any of the effects of the potion except for the lack of emotion. Harry shrugged the though off as he ignored Malfoy's rant. He followed the rest of the team to the changing rooms, where all of their brooms waited for them, brought down by the house elves. If only Hermione knew how much the Slytherins relied on the house elf population of the school, she'd probably ream him out about it, as he took advantage of the elves too. Harry made a mental note to himself. _Best not mention it to her._

Harry had been up in the air for over an hour, lazily flying back and fourth around the pitch. He had spotted the snitch several times but he never went after it. It was after all, driving Malfoy mad that he wasn't showing off his skills to the team. Harry was just making another loop around the pitch from, fairly high up, when he spotted two figures standing on the edge of the forest. With startling clarity, Harry focused his eyes on the two men. By the aggressive hand gestures, it appeared that Blaise Zabini was arguing with Severus Snape, and it didn't look like Snape liked what he was hearing. Harry, having really nothing better to do while the rest of the team attempted to practice Quidditch, started in their direction. One thing that Harry would probably never learn, was that curiosity eventually killed the cat. But Harry had no qualms about spying on the two of them at that moment. Before Harry got into their sight, he used the new spell he had learned the night before, and with a thought blended into the air around him, Firebolt and all. Disillusionment was a wonderful thing.

"I won't. I've had enough! The order can go stuff themselves down a tiny hole and die, for all I care. I refuse to play mediator for the Dark Lord and the Order any longer. I do not wish to die!" Zabini shouted and attempted to stalk off but Snape grabbed his arm harshly.

"You signed up for this Blaise when you went to the Dark Lord willingly. You will follow through, or you will die. Whether or not it's the Aurors or the Dark Lord that kills you, is yet to be seen," Snape snarled. His words were barely above a whisper but Harry heard them clearly. "What do you think will happen when you stop reporting on the Order? He will think you've grown sympathetic to their cause, and he will not hesitate to kill you as a traitor. He may link you as a spy, and your death will be all that much worse. You are one of the youngest Death Eaters, and one of the youngest Order members. You must keep up your usefulness…"

"Look at this, Snape!" Zabini pulled back the sleeve of his robe viciously revealing a very black tattoo of a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth. The mark of a Death Eater, the Dark Mark, was blistered and raw red around the sides. "He's called me five times in the last week. Three of those times, I spent under Cruciatus for over a minute, for not having anything to report. You know what he wants me to do. He wants me to get him Potter. Not to kill him, no, he wants him to join him! I said I've had enough. He's already killed my parents, and my initiation was to kill my five-year-old brother! If it hadn't been for the quick thinking of the Order, he'd be dead now!" Zabini fell to his knees and put his head in his hands. Harry had to give his dorm mate credit. He wasn't crying to get out of this. He was just frustrated as all hell. Harry could relate. "I can't do it Uncle Severus, not anymore. It's beginning to be even more difficult to hold my Occlumency shield when around the Dark Lord. It's only a matter of time until he breaks it. Then he'll know where my brother is, he'll kill me and then him," Zabini laughed holding back a sob that almost escaped him. "Or worse, he'll kill him, them me."

Harry was having a very difficult time in suppressing his anger. How could Snape let his own nephew play spy against Voldemort? _Spy against Voldemort!_ Harry drew in a sharp breath and quickly flew back over to the Quidditch pitch just as his Disillusionment Charm wore off. Harry regained his control over his emotions, and grabbed the Snitch as it flew by him. Thoughts swirling in his head, dangerous thoughts; _it couldn't be that simple_. Harry flew over to Malfoy and handed him the golden ball. "I'm done for the day. I've got things to do," Harry said as he flew away and landed just outside of the stadium. Surprisingly Malfoy didn't try to stop him.

Harry was just heading back into the castle from the changing rooms, thoughts still accumulating, forming a plan, which was possibly the most insane idea he'd ever had, when Snape rounded on him, a dangerous glint in his eyes. For a brief moment, Harry thought that he had been seen spying, but Snape was his usual nasty self. It was about the skipped detention.

"You owe me a detention Potter, my office _now_. I have a few things that need to be sorted through," Snape growled with almost a smirk on his face.

"No, I didn't do anything to deserve getting a detention. I won't serve it," Harry said with venom in his voice.

"Very well, I will be taking one hundred points from Slytherin, and the entire house will know it was taken from you If you do not serve your detention with me today," a cruel smirk came onto Snape's face with the look that Harry let escape his mask.

Snape knew that the house would willing take out the loss of so many points on Harry, and Harry was already having enough problems in Slytherin. He thought about just letting him take the points, but something in the back of his mind told him to stay on good terms with his dorm mates. That they'd come in handy later. "Fine," Harry growled quietly and he couldn't help the sound of his defeated voice. He was ashamed to have to give in to Snape.

"Good. Professor McGonagall is giving you and Mr. Weasley both detention for the outburst in the Great Hall this morning. You and him will be serving the same detention. The Owlery needs to be cleaned, and when you're both done with that, I have a special project for you." The look on Snape's face, made Harry want to take back agreeing to do the detention. But now that he knew Ron had the same fate as him, Harry wasn't going to let Ron do the detention alone, even with how much it may hurt him. Harry prayed that the potion would kick in again. Just long enough to get through the detention.

Two hours later Harry and Ron entered back into Snape's office. Both were sweaty and filthy, and Harry had a splitting headache. "Done with the Owlery I see. Weasley you may go. Potter, I have a task for you."

Ron gave Harry a sympathetic look as he left Snape's office, but Harry ignored it as his headache was building. "What task is it, that you want me to do?" Harry asked as the door clicked close behind him.

Snape stood up from his desk and walked around towards Harry. "Tell me Potter, how much precisely have you learned from Merlin's Diaries?"

Harry eyed Snape apprehensively. "Loads, why?"

"How many diaries have you been able to access?"

Harry didn't know where this line of questioning was going, but he was beginning to get agitated. "All of them that have been given to me. I have read through thirty and glanced through twenty," Harry asked again, "why?"

"Fifty!" There was almost astonishment in Snape's eyes. "That's all but one of them…" Snape murmured as walked around back to his desk and picked up a thick book with a white cover. It looked almost new but had a look of being ancient. Just like Merlin's Diaries. Snape ran his hand over the cover and then after a moment looked back up to Harry. "Dumbledore knows about this book, it's who I obtained it from. Only one person has ever been able to read it in the last hundred years, and she was the _Heir_."

Harry looked at the book and felt suddenly drawn to it. It was his grandmother's, he was certain it had belonged to her. Harry reached out to take it but Snape moved it away. "Let me have it, it's mine," Harry said without thinking and Snape got the answer he was looking for, without even asking the question.

"You're the Heir of Merlin," Snape snarled disbelievingly. "No wonder the Dark Lord wants you on his side," Harry clenched his jaw at Snape's open remark and moved again to take the book, but Snape wouldn't let him have it. "Before I give you this book, there is a spell in it that the Dark Lord wants. My task for the last year has been to try to break the magic on it, and get the spell for him. He's not happy with my failure. He is loosing patience and trust in me. That cannot happen. I got you the potion ingredients, and saved them from Dumbledore. Now I need you to help me, in return for my services," the way Snape spat the last words it told Harry that it was painful for him to ask for help, not that he was actually asking, but close enough.

Harry noted that his potion, and the box with the Unicorn's Blood and Vampire's Blood in it, were sitting on Snape's desk. Harry contemplated for a moment. Was there fear in Snape's eyes? Was Snape out to save his own hide, while his nephew was struggling not to be exposed? "Why, why should I help you save your own skin?" As soon as the words left his mouth, Harry knew that the fear in Snape's eyes wasn't for himself. It was for Blaise. Harry held out his hands and the book zoomed to it, he opened it and words started to appear. Harry closed the book again, "What's the spell, and I'm only doing this to help Zabini," Harry growled.

If it was possible, all color drained from Snape's already pale face. "What?"

"He told me," Harry lied. "If your cover's blown, his will be too. So what's the spell?"

A/N: Harry's helping Snape? Plans are formulating in his mind, _Spy against Voldemort!_


	17. Giving in to Madness

_Joining the forces of evil was not what Harry had originally planed for his life, but then neither was being cursed by the Dark Lord and ending up sorted into Slytherin. Harry was just working with what life was giving him, but as perusal, life was giving him the one path that no one, not even Harry, expected him to take. _

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Seventeen – Giving in to Madness

Harry put down his Grandmother's book and rubbed his tired eyes, as small smile forming on his face. It had taken him only an hour to read the book, and get all he needed to know from it. It was really a glance through, but he retained almost every word that he set his eyes on. The book had some incantations, but it was more a true diary then anything else. It was a diary from the first Heir, Athlena Mordent, as written on the first page.

At this point, the incantations really meant nothing to Harry. It was the magic mentioned halfway though the book, that had Harry fascinated. Apparently once discovered, it had never been used, though Harry was debating that truth. The root of the magic was not Wizard in origin, but Phoenix. Harnessed by a Wizard, and combined with a simple deflection spell, phoenix song could deflect any dark spell. That was all that was written about it, but Harry was definitely going to look into it more.

He looked up at his head of house, who was grading first year's essays with a scowl on his face. Harry was sure the man was writing scathing remarks to his pupils, meant to give them nightmares of failing for life. The detrimental remark that Hermione had first gotten from the once potions professor, had certainly done that to her. Harry almost scoffed aloud at the thought, that it was a clever, yet, nasty incentive to make the students do better in classes. It had obviously worked on Hermione, and probably every Ravenclaw.

This was the longest time that Harry could remember, ever spending in the same room alone with the man, since his disastrous Occlumency lessons the year before. Harry was rather surprised that they hadn't killed each other yet, let alone cursed each other. Harry smirked slightly as he closed his grandmother's book, making it sound out, with a loud thud. Snape gave him an annoyed glare, as he lifted his eyes from the essays.

"It's not in here, it may be in one of the other diaries," Harry rolled his eyes at the look on Snape's face. He didn't believe him. "I'm telling the truth, Professor. This is an entirely light magic book, there are counters to dark spells, but nothing that would interest Voldemort. The Dark Lord may want his original body back, but he's not going to find the spell in here."

"It's got to be in there, Potter," Snape snapped before he stood from his desk and walked towards Harry. "Perhaps it's concealed. The Dark Lord has never been wrong."

Harry rolled his eyes, _never been wrong_. "Well he's wrong now," Harry sniffed. Honestly, the book was meant for only one person to be able to read it. What was the purpose of concealing something inside of something else that is already concealed? Harry opened the text to the first page and held his hand above it. "_Reveal_," he muttered in a bored voice. Harry jumped up in surprise from the chair he was sitting in. "That wasn't supposed to work," Harry looked up to Snape.

"I can see that… Is that?"

"Yes," Harry's eyes widened. Words were rapidly writing themselves in silver ink, into the inside of the blank cover, not just any words, "Parseltongue… It's a message from… Salazar Slytherin." Harry's face paled and his jaw clenched. What was a message from Slytherin doing in the Heir's book? "I'm not sure I'm getting this translation right, I've never seen Parseltongue written before. Harry read aloud what was written.

_To my heir, follow the prophecy and you will find what you seek. Salazar Slytherin."_

"What's the prophecy? It's clearly written there," Snape sneered. "What does the rest say?"

Harry ignored Snape's impatience as he read on.

"_Two houses entwined; two souls entombed; two bloods divide. Knowledge they sought; power begot. Two worlds destroyed; born anew."_

Harry swallowed hard before he finished.

"_Three houses entwined; three souls entombed; three bloods divide. Speak with knowledge for power is what you seek_."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Snape's snide remark went unnoticed by Harry as darkness crept into his eyes, causing the emerald of his eyes to look shadowed.

Harry picked up the book and held it in front of him, he knew the words to speak. It wasn't a prophecy. It was a Riddle, that Harry knew the answer too, only because he had heard the words spoken. Luminous had spoken them to Harry just over a month ago. Harry breathed out as he began to speak, and unbeknownst to him a frosty mist came out with the words. "_Sino Omnis Quidnam Requiro Scientia, Lucrum Potestas_." Magic shot out of the book and Harry was thrown across the room while the book flew to the other side. Harry hit the wall behind him, knocking the air from his lungs. "Allow All Who Seek Knowledge, Gain Power," Harry whispered hoarsely, as he called the book to him with less then a thought. He ignored the pain that was building in the back of his head, from where he hit the wall. _Gain Power_.

"Potter are you…" Snape didn't even bother finishing that query, as Harry stood with the book in hand, and a stony look in his eyes, that was hidden from view, by his hair, which had fallen to cover his face.

Harry held out the open book to Snape who took it from him. "There is the Dark Lord's spell Professor. I hope you know what you are doing… I hope I know what I'm doing…" Harry whispered the last statement with a light chuckle to his voice, as he turned and left Snape's office, leaving the changed book with Snape.

Harry was pleased, he knew he shouldn't be. Power, beyond anything he had ever felt before, coursed through his veins. This wasn't Merlin's magic. This was darker, and far more intoxicating. Harry felt it slowly consuming him and part of him welcomed it. Dark Magic had saturated the book, which had once belonged to his grandmother, but first belonged to Slytherin's wife. Athlena Mordent was not only the female Heir of Merlin. Harry had released that magic onto himself, and revealed the book for what it truly held. Now even the white pages were darkened.

Harry bound down the hall of the dungeons minutes later. He stopped outside of the entryway into the Slytherin common room and slammed his fists into the wall. "Damn," Harry seethed as he closed his eyes tightly. What had he done? Harry took in a few deep shuddering breaths, as emotions washed over him, dark emotions, hatred, anger… "_Power_…" Harry whispered before he pushed himself away from the wall, "_All Power_." The Slytherin dormitories wouldn't be the best place for him right now, too many people. He needed to be alone to sort out what he had just done to himself. This was bad. He had essentially just downloaded the knowledge of every truly dark spell into himself, and the power to use them. He could feel the magic leaking into his very soul.

Harry started back the way he had come. He didn't stop until he reached a certain girls bathroom on the second floor. He briefly looked both ways before entered the deserted bathroom. Harry hadn't passed a single person on the way there, unusual for a Saturday, but probably a good thing. He didn't even bat an eye as the ghost of a girl in Hogwarts robes, came out of one of the cubicles to great him. "Hello Myrtle," Harry said politely.

"Oh, Harry, you've come to visit me?" the ghost asked somewhat breathlessly.

Harry refrained from rolling his eyes. "No, I've come to go down to the Chamber of Secrets. Care to come with me?" Why he was going to Salazar Slytherin's Chamber, Harry had no idea, but he felt as if he should be there, like he belonged.

"No, no, Harry, even we ghosts have self preservation. Nothing but death resides down there. And even we ghosts can die a second time," Myrtle said quite seriously all at the same time with a sweat voice and a smirk on her face. "But if you die down there, you're welcome to share my bathroom with me."

"Umm, thanks Myrtle, I'll consider it," Harry said briefly before he turned away from the ghost and found the tap in the sink that had the snake engraved into it. Harry was just about to command the hidden entryway to open, when there was a bright flash of fire and Fawkes appeared in front of him, forcing him to back into the wall and away from the sink.

"Fawkes, what are you…" Harry started but then he noticed the man behind the flying phoenix who was still smacking himself free of the flames that had consumed him only moments before. The phoenix abruptly disappeared at that moment.

"Bloody phoenix fire, swiftest way to travel, but really," Luminous Friedens muttered as he patted the last of the flames from his robes.

"Luminous, why are you…" Harry began.

"What the Hell did you do? All of Merlin's books I gave, just returned to the Chamber. They only return to the Chamber like that when the books feel the Wizard is no longer worthy of them," Luminous stepped closer to Harry. "What have you done?"

Harry shook his head in confusion, his hair falling back away from his face as he did. "I…" he said but was cut short by Luminous when he grabbed the front of his robes and dragged him across the bathroom, to where a row of grimy mirrors lined the wall. Harry was forced in front of one of the mirrors. He took one look at himself in the mirror and fell to his knees. Red tinged around the outside of the green of his eyes, a sure sign that he was saturated in too much dark magic. "I…" Harry looked up to Luminous, "didn't know," Harry's whispered voice trembled. He was scared, more scared then he'd ever been in his entire life. He was turning dark.

"I think we should see Dumbledore," Luminous said seriously, as he put his hand on Harry's arm to help him up. Harry flinched back but got to his feet at the sternness in Luminous' voice, "Now, Harry."

Harry followed Luminous through the halls of the castle, silently, with his head down, and his hair draped over his face. He was deep in thought, how was he supposed to explain this one? Dumbledore would never trust him again and Merlin's diaries, they'd abandoned him…

Harry was so absorbed in thought that he didn't realize that they'd arrived at the headmaster's office until Dumbledore had said '_come in.'_ Harry kept his head down as they entered.

"Harry has done something," Luminous said as he steered Harry towards Dumbledore.

Harry took in a deep breath and then calmly looked up at his headmaster. "I didn't know what it would do," Harry said as his hair fell away from his face.

The look of anger that arose on Dumbledore's face, after a brief moment of confusion, was enough to make any man take a step back, and Harry did. He had only ever seen Albus Dumbledore this angry once, and it hadn't been directed at him.

"Harry, what have you done?" Dumbledore asked through a calm voice that didn't belay the anger in his eyes.

"The _Heir's_ diary," Harry spoke calmly and freely for the first time. "I'm the Heir of Merlin. I can read the diary. There was a hidden passage in the book, in Parseltongue… I read it and said what's written above the entryway to your castle," Harry said to Luminous. "The book originally belonged to Slytherin's wife, Athlena Mordent, Merlin's heir. When I said the words, magic shot out of the book and hit me. It's dark magic," Harry looked at his shaking hands as he spoke. "I can feel it in me."

Dumbledore sat down heavily into his armchair behind his desk. "You knew he was the Heir of Merlin?" Dumbledore asked Luminous.

"I didn't, but I suspected. Where is the book now Harry, you didn't have it when Fawkes and I found you?" Luminous asked.

Harry didn't look either man in the eye. He was going to shoot himself for protecting Snape again. "Destroyed," he answered quickly.

"How did you get it?" Dumbledore questioned.

Harry closed his eyes, the trust was already lost. "I stole it," he lied, before he looked back up to the disappointed eyes of his headmaster. "I thought it could help me."

"I'm sorry Harry, I should not have let you dwell in the magic's that you have been learning these last couple of months. You have made some horribly bad choices this week," Dumbledore spoke firmly. "Where did you find Harry?" Dumbledore suddenly asked Luminous and Harry gave the Minister a pleading look.

"A second floor bathroom, of all the places I thought Fawkes would fire-port me, I did not think a girls lavatory would be one of them," Luminous answered.

"Sir, I was only going to go there to think. It's deserted now, Professor. I just wanted to be alone. I didn't think that there would be any harm..." Harry pleaded.

Dumbledore stood from his chair and paced the room for a moment in silence. He turned back to Harry with sternness in his eyes. "Harry Potter, as of this moment you will be under twenty-four hour watch. Until, either this magic dissipates, or I feel you can be trusted again. All but your essential school learning materials that you have been learning from these last months will be confiscated. With it I want you to bring me the Marauder's Map," Dumbledore said very severely.

"The map, but it's my father's, you already have his cloak. Why do you have to take this away from me as well?" Harry let his anger shine through about this. Merlin's diaries were gone, he was loosing his privacy, and now Dumbledore was taking the last thing that he had belonging to his father away. This all because he had diminished the trust Dumbledore had for him.

"I will not have you turn into another Tom Riddle!" Dumbledore shouted in a thunderous voice that made Harry flinch away. He soften his voice slightly towards Harry. "Harry your actions have consequences. I know you are well aware of that. Your belongings will be returned to you when I feel you can be trusted with them again."

"Yes, Professor," Harry said in an angry whisper.

"Minister, I believe that Miss Tonks is free from Auror duties to watch over Harry, is she not?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, I'll floo for her now," Luminous said as he walked over to the fireplace without looking at Harry.

"Professor is it really necessary that I be watched all of the time? It was an accident. I didn't know what would happen," Harry said with an almost hesitant voice, but the anger of the situation drowned it out.

"Harry, you almost went into the Chamber of Secrets this afternoon. Do you feel you were going there under your own violation, or did you feel as if you needed to be there?" Dumbledore asked calmly and Harry looked down to the floor, not having to answer. "This is one of the many reasons why you must be watched." Tonks appeared out of the fireplace moments later and gasped when Harry turned his eyes on her. "Miss Tonks, welcome," Dumbledore said as soon as Tonks had gotten over her momentary shock.

"Thank you Professor," Tonks replied after a hard look at Harry. "Minister Friedens informed me that you need me to keep an eye on Mr. Potter, Sir?"

"I do indeed, it seems he needs watching," Dumbledore informed her with a slight sigh in his voice. "If you please, everyone take a seat," he beckoned to several plush chairs that appeared in a semi circle around his desk.

Harry hesitated before taking the closest chair to the door. He shook with barely suppressed rage, a rage that wasn't entirely his own. He felt like running, but he squelched that feeling as he watched Dumbledore touch a red stone on his desk, that Harry had never seen before. It glowed momentarily before returning to it's original condition.

Luminous and Tonks both took their seats, and it was then that Harry truly acknowledged that there were more chairs then necessary. He was about to voice that thought when there was a knock at the headmaster's door and it opened to admit all the Head of Houses and a few other staff members. Harry lowered his gaze until Severus Snape, who was the last to enter, took a seat far away from Harry. Only then did he let his eyes show from behind his curtain of raven hair.

There were gasps from the initial few that had been looking at Harry, and then more gasps and cries as the others noticed. Harry didn't lower his eyes, he had gotten himself into this situation, and he would get himself out. But a sudden thought came to him, and he realized that this could help him greatly. But having a minder was going to hinder his plans, that he had only really started forming that morning.

"You all can clearly see why I have summoned you here. Mr. Potter has _accidentally_ dealt in some seriously dark magic this afternoon, and I felt that you all should be aware of this fact. We do not yet know the full extent of his actions, nor how long this magic will last. I have asked Auror Tonks to help keep an eye on him until we can ascertain the consequences that, may or may, not develop from this situation," Dumbledore explained quickly. "Severus," Dumbledore said and it took Snape a few moment to acknowledge that he was being spoken to, as he had been staring at Harry severely, and Harry at him. Snape had under his arm the, yet to be noticed, _Heir's_ diary.

"Yes, Headmaster," Snape said as he looked from Harry to Dumbledore.

"I would like you to act as Miss Tonks' eyes while Harry is in his dormitory, as Miss Tonks can not be there," Dumbledore spoke his obviously none negotiable command to Snape, before he spoke to the staff in general. "If any of you have any questions or concerns feel free to reveal them now." No one spoke up and after a moment the Headmaster continued. "Very well, you are all dismissed, Mr. Potter, Miss Tonks, Severus, if you would all stay behind please," Dumbledore waited until the staff had filed out before he called McGonagall back. "Minerva, if you would inform Hagrid of what has occurred, it would be kindly appreciated." Minerva McGonagall nodded briefly before disappearing down the winding staircase.

Harry subconsciously watched all of this but his mind was in overdrive. Dumbledore had noticed the book, he was certain of it, and Luminous who had remained seated had also noticed it, and was now looking critically between the too. It was painfully obvious that the carefree Minister, which Harry thought he knew, was no longer on his side.

Dumbledore slowly and quietly closed his door before he turned on Harry, barely suppressing his anger and disappointment. "You have lied to me again, Harry."

'_You have lied to me again Harry,'_ a mocking voice that was just short of a cackle sounded in Harry's head and Harry looked around the room, half expecting to see Voldemort standing before him. Thankfully, he was not. Harry easily ignored him.

"What did the two of you expect to attain from this book?" Dumbledore summoned the _Heir's_ diary to him, and Snape shot his head up in surprise at having it taken from his hands.

"Professor Snape had nothing to do with this, Sir," Harry stood up and stared Dumbledore in the eyes. "I took the book of my own violation, he must have found it in the hall. I did not lie. I thought it had been destroyed," Harry briefly glared at his Head of House, an unwise move on his behalf as Dumbledore notice the exchange.

"Sit down Harry," Dumbledore said sternly, before turning his eyes on Snape. "Severus, I want the _truth_."

It was then, as he sat, that Harry realized why Albus Dumbledore trusted Severus Snape. It was ingenious, but cruel and a Dark Arts spell. Snape was under a Truth Incantation. He could not lie directly to Dumbledore when asked for the truth, and if he did, he would be rewarded with pain. The knew information Harry now had scared him slightly. Harry could even recall how to perform the incantation perfectly.

"I took the book and asked Mr. Potter to find a spell for me. The Dark Lord was looking for a spell to regain his un-mutilated human body. He informed me that it is there that I would find it," Snape motioned towards the book. "He also informed me that Mr. Potter was the only one with the ability to read it. So I enlisted his _help_," Snape spat the words.

Harry sighed inaudibly and leaned his head back in his chair with his eyes closed, dismissing the conversation that was taking place around him. A headache was coming on, but it was not from the situation, but more from the Dark Lord's banter in his head.

'_I don't seem to understand something, Mr. Potter; you despise Severus Snape. You loath the man to the point that you wish to kill him at times, which pleases me to no ends. Yet, you always seem to try to cover for him. Perhaps that it is just me, but I seem to find that rather… contradictory,' _Voldemort rambled on with amusement, to the point that Harry had had enough.

'_Shut up and get out of my head, Voldemort,' _Harry spat with his inner voice, which sounded dismally inferior to Voldemort's. '_I wish that my potion would work the way it is supposed to, and get rid of you for me,' _Harry hadn't actually meant to say that to Voldemort but the thought just popped into his mind.

'_No, I don't think it will. It seems to have worn off already. But then that could be do to the fact that you have something new to purge your system of the potion, power that even I envy. Tell me Harry, how does it feel to have power in you, which is truly evil?'_

Harry's head shot up as he opened his eyes and a small smirk unknowingly came to his lips, but no one but Tonks took notice. '_Wonderful, I feel as if I could do anything,' _the words ran smoothly through his mind, and Harry felt them as truth.

'_Prove it Potter, join me!'_

The invitation was laid out before Harry again. His eyes blazed furry and a small voice somewhere in his thoughts tried in vain to tell him this was wrong, to say, _no_, but Harry squashed it. '_YES!'_ Harry screamed in his head before the Dark Lord disappeared and Harry was thrown sharply back into reality. Had he done what he thought he had just done? Harry looked at the people around him with a brief moment of fear in his eyes, before they turned stone cold. Harry noted that they were now all staring at him, and the conversation seemed to be over.

Harry stood up, he had no idea what the conversation around him had been, and Harry didn't care at this point. "Are we finished here?"

Dumbledore stared at him calculatingly for a moment. "Yes. Miss Tonks will escort you down to dinner. My suggestion is that you don't look anyone directly in the eye, at least until your eyes return to normal. We do not wish to panic anyone, and you are already going to be drawing enough attention with having Miss Tonks with you," Dumbledore said, a semblance of regret reflecting in his aged eyes.

Harry just nodded and mumbled a few profanities under his breath in Parseltongue, before leaving the office with Tonks trailing behind him. Harry hated attention.

A/N: Perhaps Harry is making the biggest mistake of his life, perhaps not. But how, exactly, will he join Voldemort with having eyes on him twenty-four hours a day?


	18. Betrayal by All

_Passing the point of no return, Harry betrays all with four simple words. _'My life is yours,' _and darkness consumes his very soul._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Eighteen – Betrayal by All

Nearly two months had passed since Harry had said 'yes' to Lord Voldemort's request and it had been a time of amazing peace and clarity for Harry. As for the rest of the world, nothing had changed. For the first time in his life, he almost felt like a normal teenager. At least as normal as one could be, with being watched constantly.

The Dark Magic that was still, and probably always would, remain as part of him, had abated weeks ago. Allowing him to appear normal and gain back some semblance of freedom. Though, he could never gain back the trust he had lost. Not that he was sure that he wanted it any more. He was almost to the point of not caring. The Order of the Phoenix and the staff of Hogwarts reminded Harry daily, with their eyes alone, that he was not trusted. He was becoming overly frustrated with both. Everyone watched him, but no one would look him directly in his eyes, even when speaking directly to him. They were scared of him, and it saddened and angered Harry greatly.

Harry's eyes had slowly returned to their normal emerald green by the end of that weekend. Unless someone looked closely, no one could see the mark of darkness that still lingered there. Only Ginny Weasley seemed to have noticed the specks of red, and she hadn't until two weeks ago. Harry hadn't spoken to her since, as she seemed to be avoiding him.

Voldemort hadn't made any moves for or against Harry. Even the curse seem to have been lifted. He was able to be with his friends again, which he was grateful for. However, he scarcely had time, as they dove deeper into the school year, his course load had increased amazingly and he seemed to find himself boggled down with tasks whenever he thought that he had a moment of free time to himself. It seemed as if the Hogwarts staff were trying to keep him overly busy.

Merlin's Diaries still hadn't returned to him, but Harry still retained all of the knowledge of them, so it wasn't such a huge loss. The knowledge that he had gained from the diaries was becoming increasingly helpful in the D.A, which had been opened to all students in all houses, provided that they were at least in third year, a stipulation of Dumbledore's. There was now over one hundred members and the lessons had been moved to the Great Hall and was being supervised regularly by Professor Dumbledore, Professor Flitwick or a begrudging Professor Snape.

It was at the last D.A. lesson, the night before Halloween, which found Harry walking amongst the students. He was supervising their progress on an advanced shielding charm. Harry was pleased to see that most of the students had nearly mastered it. He tied back his seemingly, ever-growing hair again, as the silky yet, unruly strands, kept falling out of the twine that he regularly used. He was just walking by Hermione's group when he saw that they were amongst those that weren't quite getting the hang of the charm. Surprisingly it was the sixth and seventh year members that were having the most difficult time with it. The younger years had gotten it nearly immediately and Harry now realized, like a flick of a wand why that was.

Harry walked into the middle of the group and faced Hermione. "Hermione, attack me!" he demanded, and it seemed that everyone stopped to look and see what his purpose was.

"What?" Hermione asked startled at the suddenness of Harry's proclamation. He had done this to other students, but not to Hermione.

"Throw at me your most powerful Bludgeon," Harry stated simply, waiting.

"No Harry, it'll kill you!" Hermione protested loudly.

Harry grew frustrated. If she couldn't attack her friends, how was she to protect herself. "Curse me 'Mione. Or are you afraid… _Mudblood_?" Harry provoked her and several people around gasped.

"I can't believe you just said that!" Hermione shouted in anger and cast the spell unintentionally. In effect, that was what Harry wanted.

It hit Harry's shield with a thunderous gong like sound inches from his face and the force of the impact pushed Harry several feet back. It was ten times more stronger then it normally would have been, it was harnessed Accidental Magic, and Harry had gotten his point across. Harry smiled and crossed his arms over his chest, even as Hermione quivered and began apologizing profusely.

"Accidental Magic," Harry spoke loudly, over Hermione's apologies, "Can be infinitely more powerful then focused magic. That nearly broke through my shield, well done Hermione, and sorry about the Mudblood remark… Accidental Magic is what makes these shields so powerful. It is also, why the younger years seem to be able to create it more proficiently. They are still used to casting Accidental Magic, making it easier to harness. My suggestion it that anyone still having trouble with this charm try performing Accidental Magic; you may find that it will help you understand how to make the shield much more powerful," Harry told the large class that seem to hang on his every word. "Practice this! In our next lesson, I want to see everyone able to perform this shield. Class dismissed."

Harry waited until everyone had filed from the hall before he collapsed to his knees, and Snape, who had been observing this lesson, came to loom over him with a sneer on his face. "How's your head, Potter?" Snape said sarcastically.

Harry rolled his eyes before he pushed himself sluggishly to his feet, his head pounding. "It kills me to ask, but Madam Pomfrey'll execute me if I go to her for another remedy. You don't happen to have a headache potion on you?"

Snape's sneer deepened. He was getting much pleasure in seeing Harry suffer, yet again. "You've brought it upon yourself, Potter. As much as I hate to say it, Miss Granger is a talented witch, and you are just giving her power to throw behind her talent. I'm curious, are you going to come away injured every D.A. meeting, just too make sure your friends are powerful enough to protect themselves?"

"If that is what it takes," Harry whispered before he turned and flicked his wand to right all of the house tables, and put them back to where they belonged. Harry turned back to Snape. "Why do you care what I do anyways? None of it affects you."

"The evening that you were hit with the magic in the _Heir's_ book, you had a look in your eyes, as you left the Headmaster's office. As if, you had done something truly terrible. And I'm not speaking of fusing yourself with Dark Magic, Potter. I'm speaking of something that you will eternally regret for the rest of your life. I've seen and held that look before, and you've had it ever since," Snape's words didn't come out in a sneer, they were completely serious, calm even. Harry angrily wondered why he brought this up now, nearly two months later.

Harry growled irritably and turned away from Snape. "Leave it alone, Professor. You were lucky, you came away from that ordeal with barely a slap on your wrist. I have been watched ever since. Dumbledore doesn't trust me anymore, he barely even looks at me, but too make sure that I'm not turning dark."

Snape grabbed hold of Harry's shoulder and spun him back to face him. "What has you so scared Harry, for your friends, for yourself?"

"I've got a bloody lunatic out to kill me and anyone I care about! Don't you think I have a right to be scared, just a little," Harry said with sarcasm dripping from his words as he pulled his shoulder out of Snape's grasp. "Do not touch me again." Harry started to walk away but turned back abruptly. "I think you'd have some idea of what has me so scared if the Dark Lord were to find out about your marriage to Lyndira Friedens," Harry snapped at him, just before leaving the Great Hall to return to Slytherin, leaving Snape struggling not to curse him again.

That night Harry had disturbing images plague his dreams for the third night in a row. He had ignored them thus far, but he couldn't ignore them any longer. Voldemort hadn't entered his mind in the near two months, since he had agreed to join him, but Harry wasn't foolish enough to believe that this would last forever. The images of his friends' torture and deaths, were a warning not to cross him. Harry took the warning quite seriously, as he stayed up without sleep for another night.

Harry flew lazily around the Quidditch pitch, early the next morning. An abnormal fog covered the grounds of Hogwarts, allowing Harry to loose himself in the cool, white mist, which seemed to embrace him. The sun barely filtered through, casting shadows over everything. Harry of course had a minder as he always did, but he doubted that whoever it was that was watching him, could see him through the soup, that seemed to converge over the pitch in particular. Harry dropped down into a steep dive as he spotted a shadowed figure moving through the lower stands. As Harry righted himself and got closer to the dark figure, he could see that the person was motioning for him.

Harry looked around him. They were alone on the pitch, so he landed gracefully next to the cloaked person. This was someone that he had barely seen in the last few days, but for classes. Actually, Harry didn't even remember seeing him come back to the dormitories last night. Harry sat down beside him and leaned his back against the wooden bench behind him. "What do you want Malfoy," Harry said calmly with a hint of a smirk on his lips, the smirk vanished as Draco Malfoy turned serious eyes on him. So this was it, his time of peace was over. Harry felt a suddenly constricting fear grip at him.

"I hope you know what you are doing, Potter," Draco said before placing a smooth black stone into the palm of Harry's hand. "That will activate one hour before the Halloween Feast tonight. I suggest that you are not around people when it does. It would not do for Dumbledore to notice you gone."

Harry shot his head up. "Tonight, but if I don't show up at the feast…"

"We should be back long before then. Make an excuse to be alone, the library tends to work for me," Draco said before standing. "And Harry, know from experience, that the Dark Lord does not forgive easily. It would not do to cross him."

Malfoy stalked away disappearing into the fog. Harry looked down at the smooth stone and ran his thumb over it. "I hope I know what I'm doing to," he whispered to himself before mounting his broom again and flying out of the pitch, his fear growing even more.

Harry landed, and taking his broom with him, went to the Great Hall for breakfast. This day he would have to appear as normal as possible, if he had any hope of throwing off his minder of the day. Harry placed his broom on the floor under the table as he sat down across from Blaise. Harry suddenly wondered if Blaise was going to be there that night. If Malfoy was, certainly Blaise and Snape would be too, and they would give him up to Dumbledore in a heartbeat, panic started to seep over Harry.

Harry side glanced at Draco, who caught his eye movements before he glanced up at Snape at the staff table. Malfoy narrowed his eyes at Harry, and glanced towards the door and back. Years of glaring daggers at one another seemed to have paid off. They knew how to read each other's eyes very well.

Harry after a few minutes threw down his muffin and stood from the table, taking his Firebolt with him. "So Malfoy, you coming to the pitch or what, we've got twenty minutes before class. There's this maneuver that I really think you should be aware of before the game on Sunday," Harry said loud enough for others around him too look up in interest. Not very tactful but it gave them the excuse to leave Dumbledore's watchful gaze.

Draco stood. "Whatever Potter, it better be good, if we're going to beat Gryffindor. Just let me get my broom and I'll meet you there."

Harry walked out of the Hall, following near on his heals was Draco. Close behind was Harry's shadow, but not close enough. As soon as Harry reached the first set of deserted classrooms, Harry pulled Draco into one and shut and locked the door behind them.

Harry turned to Draco. "There's something that you should be aware of, if you're not already. Snape and Zabini are spies for the Order. I'll be turned over to Dumbledore the second we get back," there was real concern in Harry's voice. He was giving up Zabini and Snape's positions to save his own. But Harry reasoned with himself. His position was much more useful then theirs ever could be, though Harry was also forfeiting their lives and he did have a twinge of guilt for Zabini at least.

"Relax Potter. I know, and the Dark Lord knows all of this as well. Do you really think they'd be alive if they weren't still of some use to him? My father's a member of the inner circle. You'll find I know everything." Draco said with a smug smile on his pail face. "As for you, we have that covered. You will arrive before them, and will be hidden in Death Eater robes before they even get there. They may suspect, but they will not know for sure. The Dark Lord is now taking precocious for all new Death Eaters." Draco pulled back the sleeve of his robe to reveal a blemish free left arm, and then with a wave of his hand, the Dark Mark appeared, it wasn't as red as Zabini's, but it was definitely as new. "It's a glamour, not even Dumbledore can break it," Malfoy explained as he made the mark disappear again. "Revealing it only works if you already have the mark."

A small smile came to Harry's lips, he may be able to get away with this after all. Now all he had to do was fool the Dark Lord, not exactly easy, but he could do it. He was determined to find Lord Voldemort's weakness. Harry suddenly looked behind him at the sound of the click of the lock on the door. It swung open just as Harry began to pull his wand from his robes. Amazingly, Draco stopped him just as Ron entered the classroom.

"Harry, why are you locked in a classroom with Malfoy?" Ron asked after he was all the way in the room, he had a look of disgust on his freckled face.

"I…" began Harry, but Draco interrupted.

"What, Weasley, afraid of Harry giving away little Gryffindor Quidditch secrets?" Malfoy sneered.

"Harry would never do that, he's a Gryffindor. They don't betray their friends for Slytherins," Ron growled.

Harry sighed and looked away from his best friend. "I'm sorry Weasley. I'm a Slytherin now. I want to play for a winning team."

"I don't believe this. What's happened to you in the last couple months?" Ron's angry question shocked Harry. He'd thought he had hidden the changes in him well enough. It was a change that Harry was well aware off, but hadn't really fully excepted.

"I grew up, and found out what's really important to me, along the way."

Ron threw up his arms and started to storm from the room. He turned back with fire in his eyes. "You better be prepared to loose on Sunday, _Potter_, _Malfoy_. Because we're going to drive Slytherin into the ground. I won't even bother shaking your hand on Sunday, Malfoy. You and your team don't deserve that kind of courtesy," Ron seethed before he stormed out of the classroom slamming the door behind him.

Harry angrily dragged his hand through his hair. He had a feeling that he had just lost Ron as a friend and he knew soon to follow, would be Hermione, and Ginny, and the rest of his Gryffindor friends. This was never what he wanted but he had a mission, and he had to stick to it now, no matter what it may cost him emotionally.

Malfoy slapped Harry on the back, "Well done Potter. I don't think I've ever seen Weasley so riled. So about those little Gryffindor Quidditch secrets…"

"Bugger off Malfoy, do you really think that they have Quidditch secrets?" Harry rolled his eyes, before he moved to leave Draco. "I'll see you in class, you want Quidditch secrets, read Quidditch Through The Ages. It's where Ron gets all of his stuff," Harry said just before leaving the classroom to return his broom to his room and grab his books for class.

By lunch, Harry was too nervous to eat, but for normalcy sake, he joined Malfoy in the Great Hall and pretend to eat while he watch Dumbledore out of the corner of his eye. Dumbledore was watching him intently. Did he know? Impossible, the only other person who knew he was joining the ranks of the Death Eaters that night, other then the Dark Lord himself, was Draco. And Draco had too much self-preservation to blab to anyone about it.

A soft voice beside Harry startled him from staring up at the head table. "Relax Potter, only a few more hours and this day will be over. I was nervous my first time too."

"It's not that Draco. Dumbledore's been staring at me all of lunch. He knows something. I just know it," Harry whispered back. His fear had abated somewhat during the day, but now it had returned with full force. Was he really doing the right thing.

"Of course he knows something, he always knows something, and he always stares at you. Relax and eat something. You're being paranoid. Appear normal or he'll never let you out of his sight," Draco hissed before returning to his food as if they had never had this conversation.

Harry struggled to force a few bites of food down his throat, but was more then happy when his dorm mates finished there own food, and he could escape with them back to the dormitories. They didn't have any afternoon classes, as a treat for it being Halloween.

Harry lounged around the common room, with other Slytherins, for the remainder of the afternoon. It was nearing four thirty and the feast was at six, when Draco stood up from one of the plush armchairs by the fireplace.

"I'm going to the library till the feast, anyone care to join?" No one spoke up and Draco left with his book bag slung over his shoulder.

It was then that Harry started to notice others, mostly six and seventh years, some fifth, start to disband quietly from their groups. They all were making excuses that would have them left alone until the feast. It was now or never. Harry needed to find a way to ditch his shadow, who he knew had eyes in Slytherin. Harry stood up and stretched. He meandered around the room for half a minute, before he slipped out of the common room and into the deserted hall. Harry walked down the hall a ways until he noticed his minder. It was Tonks, though Harry pretended not to notice her. He was definitely being watched tonight and rather sneakily at that. They obviously didn't want him to know.

Harry turned down another corridor and that was when he had an idea of how to get rid of Tonks. He stopped in front of a portrait of a bowl of fruit and tickled the pair. The portrait door swung open and Harry stepped in. Dozens of House Elves greeted him with large smiles as many more were working on preparing the feast for the night.

"Harry Potter Sir, is come to see Dobby, Sir?" A very familiar House Elf said as way of a greeting.

"Hello Dobby, you think you can help me with something?"

"Anything for Harry Potter, Sir," the Elf squeaked.

"I think there is someone following me around school. I've been trying for hours to be left alone so that I can do Professor Snape's essay for class tomorrow. But I keep feeling like I'm being watched, and I can't concentrate…"

"Dobby is helping Harry Potter be left alone, Sir. Dobby is knowing how mean Master Professor Snape's can be when students don't gets their school works done, so Dobby is helping Harry Potter Sir."

"Thank you Dobby. I think they are hiding out in the hall waiting for me. I'm going back to my dormitory, can you stop them from following me, and keep them busy until at least the feast. It should give me the time to complete Professor Snape's essay," Harry said with a smile on his face.

"Yes, Dobby is helping Harry Potter Sir, Dobby is good House Elf, Dobby is. You is finishing Master Professor Snape's work with no interruptions," Dobby said as he and several House Elves followed Harry out of the kitchens, giving Harry a few goodies to take with him. Harry almost felt bad for Tonks as he disappeared down the hall with no intension of returning to the common room. He only felt a little guilty about using Dobby.

Harry looked around him several times before he slipped into a classroom that looked like it hadn't been used for at least a decade. He closed the door and leaned against it while he fingered the cold black stone in his pocket, and waited for time to laps. He couldn't believe that he was going to do this, if anyone found out, they'd hate him forever. He was betraying them all, but really who did he have left to betray?

After a while, Harry looked at his watch and pulled the smooth stone from his pocket, his hand shaking slightly. One minute left. Fear again gripped at Harry… thirty seconds. Harry closed his first around the stone. He had resolved himself, he was going to do this… fifteen seconds. He threw up and extra layer to his occlumency shield… five seconds… two seconds. Harry closed his eyes as he felt the familiar tug behind the navel. When he opened his eyes, it was to a smug Draco Malfoy, holding up a set of black silk robes and a white mask.

"Welcome Potter, to Slytherin Manor," Malfoy gave Harry a dashing smile before he threw the robes and mask at Harry. Harry caught them easily. It seemed the moment he had landed in the room, all his fear had disappeared. "Hurry up and change, the others will be here any moment."

Harry ripped off his Slytherin outer robes, revealing his black t-shirt and black cargo pants underneath. He slipped the silky Death Eater robes on and pulled back his hair into a tight ponytail. Harry put the mask on over his face, which Harry was pleased to see hid his scar. As he looked in the mirror, that hung over a mantle, on the other side of the room. He pulled the hood up over his hair just as Draco was doing the same with his own silky robes. Harry stared at himself with resolve in his emerald eyes, his mother's eyes. Harry turned away before he was too disgusted with himself.

"Come, Potter, just do as I say, and you'll be fine," Malfoy said over his shoulder, as he lead Harry out of the room.

Harry followed Draco into a large anti chamber that opened up into an even larger hall, which looked like a ballroom. Whatever Harry had imagined, he hadn't imagined this. He thought that a more sinister setting should have greeted him. But it wasn't sinister at all. It was almost, _pretty_. At the head of the hall was a set of three throne like chairs, two of which were smaller then the other. The ballroom was nearly the size of the Great Hall at Hogwarts, and gold and silver decorated and glistened off the fancy walls, definitely not sinister.

Malfoy led him to the front of the rapidly filling room, to a very small group of Death Eaters, six in all. "These are new recruits, they will also be receiving their marks tonight. I can't tell you much, but you will each have a task to perform in front of the others, to prove your loyalty. I suggest you do whatever the Dark Lord wants. It'll be easier on you," Draco looked over his shoulder briefly before turning back. "I have to go join my father. Remember, when the Dark Lord arrives, kneel and do not raise you head," Malfoy gave one last warning before disappearing into the sea of black robes and white masks. Harry then wondered, why it was Draco informing him of these things, and not one of the senior Death Eaters.

Harry felt Voldemort arrive before anyone saw him, and he was the first to kneel, as pain exploded from his scar, forcing him to do so. It took many deep breaths not to scream out, as others fell to their knees as well, with the appearance of the snake like Dark Lord.

"Welcome my Death Eaters to another Halloween Celebration. Welcome my new followers. Tonight you join the elite of societies. You will gain family here, you will gain knowledge, and above all, you will gain power beyond anything you could ever comprehend," Voldemort's words were like liquid silk, welcoming, but ice cold to those that would dare stand against him and fear and doubt ran down Harry's spine. "Bellatrix, bring fourth the new recruits."

Bellatrix Lestrange stepped forward, she looked just like any other Death Eater with her robes covering her figure. But the way she held herself and walked, it could be no other. Harry saw red but he quelled the impulse and remained where he was. If he could stand in front of Voldemort and receive the Dark Mark, he could control his urge to kill her.

"Arise and come forward," Bellatrix commanded the seven of them that knelt off to the side, in the front row.

Harry stood with the others and stepped forward, towards the smirking Dark Lord. At Bellatrix' command, he knelt back down with the others, feet from Lord Voldemort.

"Before you receive the Mark of Slytherin and with it the Mark of a Death Eater, each one of you must prove your fidelity to me now, before your brethren," Voldemort hissed, and the entire hall seemed to shift in anticipation. "Arise to perform your task as your name is called."

Harry waited as patiently as he could, as Bellatrix called one by one the list of new recruits. Harry's uncertainty rose as each performed their given task. Most had to kill or curse a Muggle or captured Auror. Harry figured he could handle this, but he was certain that Voldemort would want more from him. He just prayed that it wasn't something that he couldn't give. Of course then there was the other matter, Bellatrix was calling their names and having them remove their masks as they came forward. He was going to be exposed. At last, what seemed hours later, Harry's wait was over. He was the last, Voldemort had done this on purpose, and the others were back to kneeling before their soon to be master.

"Arise and come forward," Voldemort beckoned Harry, and Bellatrix stepped aside with what looked like doubt in her eyes.

Harry stood, quelling his nerves with the Dark Magic that was ever lingering inside him. He took a step forward and nodded his head to Voldemort, who surprised many and nodded back with an icy smile on his deformed face.

"_You understand I ask more of you_?" Voldemort hissed in Parseltongue, which surprised none.

But many heads shot up when Harry answered back in the same language. "_Yes, my Lord_."

"_You don't have to kill or torture to prove yourself to me, there is something greater that I demand of you. _Prove your loyalty to me, now," these last words were spoken in English.

"Yes, my Lord," Harry answered, also in English, he already knew what his true task would be. It was something Voldemort craved, but it would involve him taping into his dark magic, and it would be draining.

But he would prove his loyalty first. Harry had a smidgen of doubt, but hardened himself to his task. For what he was about to do would give him away anyways, Harry pulled his mask off and lowered his hood, and then he turned to the crowd. There were many gasps, some even stood up and pointed wands at him. Harry ignored it all, as red, from the Dark Magic that he was calling forth, seeped back into his eyes. Harry clenched his hand into the air and a figure was pulled from the crowd and forced to his knees at the Dark Lord's feet. Harry pulled the mask off the man's face and looked up to Voldemort, unwaveringly.

"Severus Snape is a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. He answers to the fool Dumbledore and he cannot lie to him, as he is under a Truth Incantation," Harry revealed the one fact that he knew Voldemort could not know. As only the caster, or someone who has seen the caster use it, could reveal the spell. The person under it does not even remember being put under the Incantation until revealed to them.

"_Crucio!_" Voldemort hissed and Snape bowed to pain as a scream with ripped from his lungs. The Dark Lord lifted the curse moments afterwards. "I will allow you the pleasure of his death, Harry Potter," Voldemort whispered.

Harry smiled, oh how he'd love to, but not today. Harry had other plans for his professor. "I thank you, my Lord, but I have another gift for you, and I still think that Severus Snape can be of use," Harry looked down to the man that was still recovering from the Cruciatus Curse and glaring daggers up at him. He showed no remorse as he looked back up to Voldemort.

Voldemort looked for a moment, as if he were thinking about this. "Very well Mr. Potter. It seems it is your lucky day, Severus. Lucius, come collect Severus Snape and hold him till the end of the ceremony. I will deal with him then," Lucius Malfoy did as commanded and physically dragged Snape back into the lines of Death Eaters. "Now, Harry, what is your gift?" There was true curiosity in the Dark Lords eyes.

Harry smiled and then concentrated on the link that he had just uncovered in the folds of Dark Magic. He hadn't expected it there, but it brought more of an advantage for him. Harry felt resistance, but he forced his power through the book and shattered whatever wards had surrounded it. Seconds later, Harry held the tainted _Heir's_ Diary, as it appeared with a shimmer into his hands. He found himself on one knee as he clutched it to him, and steadied himself. After getting to his feet again, Harry held out the tomb to Voldemort.

"The Hidden Diary of Salazar Slytherin, my Lord, disguised by my ancestress," Harry whispered, just slightly out of breath, as he handed the book willingly to Voldemort, with no thought of what he was giving him. Voldemort flipped through the pages briefly. He held open the book to the spell, which he could not perform on himself, with a glint of longing in his eyes.

"No need, my Lord, I know every word," Harry whispered before he closed his eyes and began a mantra of Parseltongue in his head.

Somehow, when he had come here tonight, he knew he'd be using this spell to buy his way into Voldemort's circle. When Harry finished the mantra, he opened his eyes, which held very little color, other then a deep garnet red. Voldemort stood across from him with his eyes closed, completely trusting. If Harry thought that he could get out of there alive, he would have killed the Dark Lord right then, but instead he thrust his magic forward into Voldemort completing the spell to give Voldemort back his original form.

Deep purple light shot out of Harry's hands and into the Dark Lord. He was engulfed momentarily, and when the magic abated, Tom Riddle stood before them, looking much the same as his projection to Harry. Harry was once again on one knee, but this time he was sweating profusely and breathing heavily as he looked up to the new image of the Dark Lord. The image of the Dark Lord, who was more like the man that had murdered his mother, and tried to murder him and his father. Anger and hatred ran like ice through his veins but disappeared as Voldemort spoke.

"I thank you for your gifts Harry Potter, now receive mine."

Harry bowed his head in defeat as darkness over came every good part of him. He had lost everything, every moral value that had once made him a Gryffindor worthy of Godric Gryffindor's sword. He had lost the respect and friendship of those that he had held most dear in his life. He had lost everyone's trust with all the lies and betrayal. Above all, he had lost himself to the Darkness that consumed him. If anyone were to ask him who he was, he would have said that he was no longer Harry Potter, he was the Heir of Slytherin. He looked slowly back up to Voldemort, a determined fire in his Dark Magic, saturated eyes. '_Don't take the mark, don't bow down to darkness_,' lingering good thoughts screamed. Harry shoved them away.

"My life is yours," Harry said in a barely audible whisper that at the same time reverberated around the room more loudly, then Harry thought possible. Harry held out his bare left forearm to the Dark Lord. This was his choice.

Voldemort lowered his wand at Harry with a smirk on his now perfect, handsome face. "_Mors Mordre Addo_!"

As soon as the spell left the Dark Lord's wand, Harry's brother wand, Harry felt a tingling sensation run down his forearm, which immediately turned into the worst pain that Harry had ever felt in his life. Harry clutched at his left arm, his nails digging into his flesh, at the same time he clenched his teeth together trying to suppress the scream that was already emerging from his throat.

Thankfully, the pain was brief. Harry had expected to feel weak after that, but it left Harry more alert and full of energy then he had ever been before. Harry had his breathing under control by the time Voldemort had begun and finished placing the marks on the other six new Death Eaters. Harry watched them go through what he had just experienced, and it pleased him to see it. He turned his eyes back to Voldemort, who didn't seem strained in the least by the power he had used that night. It gave Harry a sense of awe, and a sense of wanting that power.

As soon as the last of them had become stable again, Voldemort spoke. "Arise my Death Eaters and welcome your new," Voldemort said to the general public, before he turned to Harry. "Come my son, we have three betrayers to take care of this night, before I can allow you and your friends to return to school."

Harry followed the Dark Lord, forcing himself past his sudden hesitation. '_I am not your son!_ _Son…? Father...? Dad I'm sorry… _Harry darkly suppressed his own far away thoughts. "Three, my Lord?" Harry questioned aloud.

"Yes," Voldemort sneered. "Dumbledore has taken my more loyal servants and turned them against us."

_Blaise… _Harry played dumb as he continued to follow Voldemort until they were in the room that Harry had arrived in only. Harry glanced at his watch, an hour and a half ago! Dumbledore was sure to notice the book missing by now, and definitely notice him missing with the several other Slytherin's as well. "The feast…" Harry whispered unwisely but was relieved at Voldemort's almost kind words to him.

"Calm yourself, Harry, Professor Snape will take care of Dumbledore as he always does. Won't you Severus?" Voldemort hissed and Snape glared up at Harry with contempt in his onyx eyes. "You see Harry, Severus is not going to remember being here tonight at all, nor will Mr. Zabini. They will remain absolutely loyal to me. As they always do. Severus Snape here is going to remember leaving to come to this meeting but run into Mr. Zabini running out of the forest for his dear life. He is going to remember finding Harry Potter unconscious and barely breathing with several other students, who are in the same condition. Not one of them will know what has happened to them. The last thing they remember is leaving the Dungeons as a group to go to the feast. Isn't that right, _Severus, Blaise_?"

"You can Obliviate me as many times as you'd like Voldemort but I will still remain loyal to Albus Dumbledore," Snape spat from his servitudes position on his knees, and Harry was quite surprised that the man didn't try to deny the whole thing. Blaise on the other hand, had unimaginable fear in his eyes and wisely remained silent as Snape was put under Voldemort's Cruciatus Curse again.

Voldemort lifted the curse. "Oh Severus, how many times have we gone through this conversation. If you were not more loyal and useful then you believe you are, I would have killed you many years ago. _Obliviate!_" Both Snape and Zabini went from raging with contempt to passive in a matter of seconds. "That, Mr. Potter, is how you deal with your more useful traitors."

Harry smiled as he stared down at his barely aware Head of House, but was interrupted in his thoughts of all the possibilities of what he could make the man do, by Voldemort's hand on his shoulder.

"Come my boy, I have a gift for you." Harry followed Voldemort from the room and into a long dark corridor. "Now I'm sure that you would have wanted me to give you Bella, but she is loyal to me still," Voldemort whispered as he steered Harry into a plain, furniture free room, where a man was huddled in a corner of the room.

"_Pettigrew_!" seethed Harry as he moved further into the room and his eyes blazed with hatred.

The rat like man crawled away from the corner and towards Harry and Voldemort. "My Lord, p-please, you know I'd never betray y-you, I was telling t-the truth," Peter Pettigrew, Wormtail, sniveled like the rat he was.

"You have leave to kill him, this man has betrayed me for the last time," Voldemort sneered.

Harry looked down to the rodent of a man, he knew Voldemort was testing him, but Harry didn't care. He looked up to the Dark Lord. "What did he do?" It probably was not the wisest to question a mad man's reasons on wanting someone dead, but Voldemort just smiled.

"He tried to get out of my service by going into hiding, he got caught. Apparently, someone else has him scared enough to turn against me," Voldemort replied, before his smile suddenly faded. "I am waiting, Mr. Potter. It is time to take revenge on the man that has betrayed your entire family."

Harry looked back down at Pettigrew and the man shrunk back in fear before grabbing onto Harry's robes. "Please dear boy, you're good, y-you wouldn't k-kill your father's f-friend? I-I know about h-him, I-I want to a-apologize," Wormtail pleaded.

Fire flashed in Harry's eyes. "Let go of me!" Harry kicked the man off him roughly, pulled out his wand, and pointed it at Pettigrew's heart.

"That's it son, take your revenge," Voldemort hissed in his ear.

Harry threw aside his wand, as magic built up in him. "No!" Harry saw anger flashed in the Dark Lord's eyes. "This death, I do with my own hand!" Harry shouted and shot out his hand at Wormtail. "Apologize to my mother! _Avada Kedavra_!" Emerald light exploded from Harry's palm and engulfed the man. When the magic of the Killing Curse dissipated, Peter Pettigrew was dead and Harry felt nothing.

A/N: Ok, so we all knew that it was going to happen eventually, Harry is now truly evil… or is he? Will he still be able to continue on with his personal mission to destroy Voldemort? Does he still want to? More importantly, will he be able to pull himself away from the darkness now that he's killed.


	19. Accusations and Memories

_Harry is suspected, questioned, and interrogated, Quidditch anyone?_

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Nineteen – Accusations and Memories

Harry Potter sat calmly in the Headmaster's office finishing off a steaming hot cup of tea. Dumbledore had just finished asking him a series of questions, the same questions asked to every other student that had been found unconscious in the Forbidden Forest, three nights previous. Harry had answered everyone of them unflinchingly and with a lie that had already been planted in his brain as truth. For truth, was what he had to speak when dealing with the Veritaserum in his cup of tea, which left an obvious bitter aftertaste.

Harry had not wanted his memories messed with, but Voldemort had insisted, and Harry had reluctantly agreed. Nothing had changed. He still had all of his memories of the night of Halloween, he just had new ones to access if need be. He remembered precisely what Voldemort had said he'd remember; a figure appearing in the hall just before they had reached the entrance hall, and then a flash of light. The other eight Slytherin's who had claimed to be with him were given the same memory. As were the five Ravenclaws, the two Hufflepuffs, and amusingly to Harry, one male Gryffindor seventh year, who Harry had seen on many occasions but never conversed with. Of course, some of them had some variations, as they all couldn't appear to be coming from the same corridor. That would look highly suspicious.

The seventeen of them together, were only a small handful of the young Death Eaters that roamed the halls of Hogwarts. Again, it would have been suspicious if all of the Death Eaters of Hogwarts were found with Harry. Dumbledore would have put things together far too quickly. As it were, only five or six were suspected of being, or were known Death Eaters. Others were not known at all. All of them had woken up in the Hospital Wing the night before, with the exception of Blaise Zabini. Who had amazingly escaped the whole ordeal relatively unscathed. Well, all except that he couldn't remember anything before leaving Hogwarts to attend the Death Eater meeting, that of course, Albus Dumbledore knew would take place.

Harry looked at the other four students that were sitting with him. They all had relayed the same account of their tall-tale and looked upon Dumbledore with worried, innocent eyes. Harry looked back up to the Headmaster, his eyes of course had a glamour on them. It wouldn't do for him to look upon Dumbledore with eyes that screamed darkness. Instead, he looked at the old man with the same innocence that the others held, but he put a small measure of fear in there as well.

"Professor Dumbledore, Sir, what do you think could have happened to us?" Harry asked in a Hermione-ish kind of way.

"Alas, I am not certain, Harry. You all seem to remember basically the same thing."

Harry looked around him in a frightened sort of way, he swallowed once, for good measure, and then asked his next question in almost a whisper. "Do you think it could have been the – the Dark Lord?" Now he was playing Neville to a tee and he was laughing hysterically inside for it. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the other Slytherins trying to keep from laughing as well. Not that Dumbledore noticed as he was focused solely on Harry.

"Again Harry, I'm not certain, but I do not believe so. For one, you were not hugely injured and Madam Pomfrey says that you have all made a full recovery," Dumbledore replied.

"Does that mean that the Quidditch match will still continue as planned?" Malfoy suddenly asked.

Dumbledore looked at all of them. They were all members of the Slytherin Quidditch team, and they all made it a point to look at the Headmaster with hopeful eyes. There was no way in Hell that they were going to forfeit against Gryffindor. Dumbledore sighed. "I don't see why it shouldn't as long as you come to me if any problems arise."

"Thank you, Sir. Then may we be dismissed? There are a few things that I would like to go over with the team before the match, and we only have an hour before the game starts," Malfoy asked politely and Harry forced himself not to snigger aloud.

"Yes, you may all go," answered Dumbledore with a slight sigh. The five Slytherins rose from their seats at once and began to file from the office. "Harry, may I have a word before you go?"

Draco gave Harry a pointed look and mumbled, "Harry, Quidditch."

It was a password of sorts. If Harry felt uneasy about being left alone with Dumbledore, Malfoy would wait with him. Harry gave Draco a smirk. Everyone really, always underestimated him. "I'll be down in a minute."

Malfoy nodded before he left. Draco had been made Harry's bodyguard of sorts, while at Hogwarts. Neither Harry nor Malfoy had been happy about this, but Voldemort had insisted, and had nearly cast Cruciatus on the both of them for arguing about it. They reluctantly agreed, but Harry still couldn't see what possible dangers there were. As long as everyone thought that he was on their side, no one would lift a finger against him.

Harry waited patiently while Dumbledore shuffled papers on his desk. He put them aside after a moment and looked up to Harry. "Mr. Weasley informed me that the morning of Halloween, he caught you and Mr. Malfoy discussing something in a classroom together. Now he said that the two of you were discussing Gryffindor Quidditch Secrets, but I want to hear the _ i truth /i _ from you. What were you two really discussing?"

Harry fought down the impulse to curse Dumbledore where he stood. How dare the old man! He was under a Truth Incantation. If Voldemort had not warned him that he might be, and he had not taken measures against it, Harry would have never known. So the old man distrusted him that much.

Harry looked Dumbledore straight in the eyes with a pleasant smile that hid all of his hatred beneath it. "Gryffindor Quidditch Secrets," he said calmly without faltering. "I know what it seems like," Harry shook his head in a regretful manor. "Ron was rather mad about it, but I'm finally being excepted into Slytherin and honestly, I don't want to play for a loosing team. After all, it's not really, like they were secrets. Everything I gave Draco, he could have gotten out of Quidditch Through The Ages, as Ron has."

Dumbledore only nodded in response. "Very well, and good luck, may the best team win. You are dismissed."

Harry smiled passively at Dumbledore before he left and headed straight for the Slytherin changing rooms, laughing in his head the entire time. Unbeknownst to Harry, Dumbledore wasn't sitting passively in his office. He was angrily pacing, trying to figure out how all of the students had lied to him under Veritaserum. Several of them, Severus had pointed out as known Death Eaters, others were highly suspected, and some didn't fit into the equation at all. And then there was Harry, as much as Dumbledore didn't want to see it, Harry was always suspected, and that was worrisome.

Three and a half hours later, Harry flew high above the pitch, watching the swift movements of the two teams below. Harry had seen the not so elusive golden snitch hundreds of times since the start of the match, but Malfoy had instructed him not to catch it unless Ginny had spotted it. She hadn't as of yet. Malfoy wanted Slytherin to rack up so many points that Gryffindor would have no chance of catching up to them, even if Harry let Ginny take the snitch, which he wouldn't do. As it stood, the score was currently 490 – 330 in Slytherin's favor.

Slytherin was decimating Gryffindor. That wasn't to say that Gryffindor wasn't putting up a fight. It seemed that they weren't going to go down easily and were using just as many dirty tricks as the Slytherins. It was actually turning into a rather astonishing match. Both teams had about the same amount of penalties, which made for a rather interesting game, and had the school sitting on the edge of their seats.

Harry watched Ginny fly around the far end of the pitch, searching for the snitch somewhat frantically as the Gryffindors managed to score two more goals, almost consecutively. Harry smiled to himself, it was time to have a little fun with the youngest Weasley.

Harry flew lazily towards her and began trailing her unenthusiastically, which seemed to annoy the witch as she kept glancing over her shoulder heatedly at him. After tailing her for nearly a full minute, Harry suddenly looked to the other end of the pitch and appeared as if he was following something with his eyes. As soon as he caught Ginny's attention, he laid flat against his broom and shot off towards the false source. Ginny of course took the bait and followed, really hadn't the girl learned anything?

The announcer, a fourth year Ravenclaw, who Harry recognized from the D.A, pointed out to the crowd, Harry's and Ginny's move towards the snitch that wasn't anywhere near there, not that the Ravenclaw knew that. Harry swerved as if the snitch had done the same and Ginny again followed.

After leading Ginny half way around the pitch and back, Harry became board with the cat and mouse routine. He was just about to reveal the jest, when a brief blinding pain erupted up his left arm. Harry had to struggle to remain on his broom, as he pulled his arm against his chest. He shot his eyes to Malfoy as soon as the pain abated.

Malfoy mouthed from his position, '_get the snitch_.' Malfoy too looked as if he had been in pain as well, but he hid his guise much more coolly then Harry had.

Harry, who hadn't lost his sight on the snitch for nearly the entire game, dropped into a vertical dive that most professional Quidditch players would never attempt. Ginny wisely did not follow. Harry forced his broom horizontal again, just before he would have hit the ground, and rolled so that his back was to the green grass below him. Harry's raven hair caught at the short grass as he zoomed over the ground and expertly closed his hand around the snitch before shooting back up into the sky, just before reaching mid pitch. All together, the move had taken Harry less then thirty seconds and would be remembered for years to come. Of course, the crowd went wild, after they stopped holding their breaths.

Harry held the winged golden ball up with his right hand and gained another rousing cheer, especially from the Slytherin side of the stands. He forced a smile onto his face, it had been a remarkable catch. However, Voldemort lingered in the back of his mind, something was wrong. Someone had found out something, and he needed to see him now, it was an order. Harry dropped out of the air to join his teammates, who had landed seconds after Harry had caught the snitch.

Malfoy slapped Harry on the back as he landed smoothly next to him. "Show off, but great catch," Malfoy laughed. "Everyone to the changing room, then we've got a celebration to get too," Draco pounded the sky with his fist. "Slytherin Victory!" Malfoy shouted and a cheer of the same words echoed from departing Slytherin students around them.

Harry began to follow the other Slytherins but stopped, as he saw the Gryffindor team walking silently behind them. Harry couldn't resist, and he turned around. "Drive us into the ground, hey Weasley?" Harry gave Ron a smug smile.

"Looks to me like we decimated you," Malfoy sniggered behind him and Harry smiled wider.

"I don't know if I'd call that playing a fair game, Potter. Seems to me you spotted the snitch too easily," Ron said stepping up to Harry, the rest of the Gryffindor team followed. Harry took a step forward. He, as well, had the Slytherin team at his back.

"Are you calling me a cheater?"

"Your words, not mine," Ron snapped at him and Harry without warning grabbed onto the front of Ron's Quidditch robes with his right hand.

"Potter," Harry briefly heard Draco warn him from behind, but Harry ignored it in favor of leveling his wand at Ron, with his left had, anger overriding his senses. His broom lay forgotten on the ground. Draco then grabbed onto Harry's arm, and dug his fingers into the mark, which still stung. Harry dropped his arm immediately but hadn't let go of Ron yet. "Harry let him go," Draco said warningly again. "We don't have time for this," he hissed.

Harry let go of Ron's robes, but not before letting his glamour on his eyes drop for a fraction of a second. He gave a menacing smirk to him as Ron visibly paled and took a step backwards. Harry laughed. "Thought so," he scoffed as he grabbed his broom, and turned and left with Draco and the other Slytherin players following him.

"What the Hell was that back there, Potter? Do you realize what could have happened? Dumbledore could have seen…"

"Shut up, Malfoy!" Harry snapped and grabbed Draco's robes, and slammed the blond teen against the wall of the Slytherin changing rooms, with amazing strength and speed. The others stopped what they were doing to look at Harry with mingled fear and respect in their eyes. "Everything's fine. No one saw but Weasley, and I don't think he even knew what he saw," Harry said coolly as he let Malfoy go. "Now I suggest you find someone to cover for us, _he's_ angry. I don't think we should keep him waiting any longer," Harry whispered harshly before turning away to change. Voldemort really was angry, and it was rolling in waves over Harry's own emotions.

"Crabbe, Goyle, get over here, I have a task for you," Malfoy said before Harry disappeared into one of the changing stalls with a smirk on his face.

As Harry emerged, fully changed into his customary black t-shirt and black cargo pants, Malfoy had just finished explaining the plan. Crabbe looked a little befuddled but Goyle looked as if he was going to enjoy this. Harry pulled out a single silky strand of his rather long black hair and handed it to Goyle. "You'll need that, if we're not back within an hour, get out of the common room, it'll only last that long."

Goyle nodded and started out of the changing rooms with Crabbe following. They were going to double back after letting themselves be seen and each drink a vile of Polyjuice potion. No one would miss Crabbe and Goyle at the Slytherin party, but everyone would miss Harry and Draco.

"I just hope Crabbe doesn't make me look too bad," Malfoy grumbled as they disappeared.

Just after the rest of the team made their departures and Harry had finished laying out his Slytherin robes for Goyle, as Malfoy had already done for Crabbe, Harry pulled out of his pocket the smooth black stone that he had gotten on Halloween. Harry set the alarm on his watch for fifty minutes before he held the stone out to Malfoy, who placed one of his fingers on it as it sat in his palm. "_Activate_," Harry hissed and felt the sudden pull behind his navel.

Harry and Malfoy landed without stumbling in a small sitting room, that held a view of a rolling countryside from it's windows. Harry walked casually over to one of the windows to determine where they could be, but green grass was all he could see. It was actually quite beautiful. Harry turned from the window after a long moment and back to Malfoy who had gone startlingly pale, even for Draco. He was pointing to something moving across the room and Harry looked in that direction. A snake was uncoiling itself from one of the plush sitting chairs, and starting to move towards them, a really large snake.

"_Foolish younglings, not wise to disturb the layer of a snake_," The snake slithered around them.

Harry drew his wand and pointed it at her. "_Back off Nagini, our master would not appreciate it if we were harmed_," Harry hissed in Parseltongue and the snake recoiled and hissed menacingly at them.

"_Nagini, leave us_. " The snake looked to her master for a moment and then left glaring at Harry with red gleaming eyes as she did.

"Merlin, I wish I could do that," Malfoy whispered beside Harry before he bowed low to their lord.

Harry barely nodded, as his scar was searing pain. It took probably a full two minutes for the pain to abate this time, and Harry struggled to stay on his feet. "So who found out what and why not just kill them and tell me in my head?" Harry growled after he was able to unclench his jaw.

Voldemort smirked at Harry's discomfort for a brief moment before his face grew serious again, angry. "Have a seat gentlemen," Voldemort invited, and then continued after the three of them had sat. Malfoy looked quite uncomfortable, no doubt, he had never sat in front of the Dark Lord, especially this new and improved one. The Dark Lords handsome features did nothing to hide the evil that shrouded him, more like it enhanced it. "I have a portrait that connects to the Headmasters office. Apparently, Dumbledore has had a moment of revelation, he'll be breaking Severus' memory charm, any moment, I'm sure. You were going to be revealed so I thought it wise you were not there, to be revealed."

Harry shrugged with boredom, before relaxing back into his chair. "Is that it?"

"I did see this as a problem, Mr. Potter," Voldemort seethed. "Once Dumbledore finds out that you are a Death Eater, he'll have your wanted poster put up next to mine. He is not as much of a fool as you believe he is. He knows how powerful you can be. It's his greatest fear, you turning Dark."

Harry thought this over for a few silent minutes and then a thoughtful smile came to his face. "Let me deal with our dear old Headmaster. He cannot break my glamours, I doubt even you could, and he can no longer read my mind."

Voldemort rose an eyebrow at Harry's bold declaration, "and what about Severus?"

Harry raised his hands in prayer position and looked at Voldemort with innocent eyes that were filled with malice. "Dear Saint Potter, had to join the Dark Lord to gain the knowledge of how to defeat him. If he were caught or revealed, it could mean the death of the poor boy, and sadly the destruction of the Wizarding world. Of course, he would need his Professor's help to maintain his level of _evilness,_" Harry laughed quite insanely. "They have no idea how persuasive I can be."

Voldemort smirked and let out a cruel chuckle. "Spoken like a true Slytherin. Very well," Voldemort's smirk disappeared again. "But if any problems arise, portkey back here immediately. I will not have you captured by Dumbledore, and Draco, keep an eye on Mr. Zabini. He may prove problematic in the near future."

"Yes, my Lord," Draco answered.

"Now let me see your stone, I believe your time is almost up," Voldemort said and Harry glanced at his watch. He was correct, they had five minutes left. Harry handed his stone to Voldemort who pointed his wand at it and it briefly glowed blue. "This will take you to the Slytherin Prefects' bathroom. I surmise you can get to your dormitory from there?"

"Yes. my Lord," Draco answered before he bowed to Voldemort.

Harry again barely nodded, which he received a red-eyed angry glare to. He held out the stone for Malfoy to touch and then they disappeared, arriving in the luxurious Slytherin prefects' bathroom. "Impressive," Harry smirked at Draco's smug smile. "Gryffindor is better."

Malfoy snorted and rolled his eyes. "Right, Potter. Come on this door leads to the hallway outside of our dorm room."

"And where does that door lead?" Harry pointed over his shoulder to an identical door, on the other side of the bathroom.

"The girls' prefects' bathroom," Malfoy answered, and then laughed at the grin that spread across Harry's face.

"It's all clear to me now," Harry said as if he'd had an epiphany, and Malfoy gave him a skeptical look. "Why you spend so much time in here," Harry laughed, answering Malfoy's unasked question. They entered into the hall, after checking to see that it was clear. Draco just rolled his eyes again.

Harry and Draco were just about to enter their dorm room when Harry and Draco ran down the hall towards them. Well Crabbe and Goyle in disguise as Harry and Draco were running down the hall towards them.

"Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore are heading this way. Snape and Dumbledore came in the common room and broke up the party. We were able to slip away, I'm pretty sure we weren't seen," Harry/Goyle explained as they reached them.

Harry looked at his watch. "Damn, you still have at least five minutes before this wears off." Harry looked up the hall, to the many closed doors in particular. One especially caught his eyes. "You two in here until the potion wears off," Harry said opening the door to the boys' bathroom, which was nearly across from them.

Crabbe and Goyle did as commanded, and Harry and Malfoy went into their dorm, where Nott was reading on his bed. "Hey guy, party get a bit boring for you too?" he asked and then raised an eyebrow, and then started sniggering at them as they started throwing school robes on frantically.

Malfoy kicked off his shoes and threw one at Nott. "Shut up Nott, Snape and Dumbledore are on their way down here."

Nott shot off his bed and drew his wand. He started casting Disillusionment Charms frantically, all over the room. Mostly at cabinets that didn't belong, cabinets that were full of things such as, Firewhiskey, and books stolen from the restricted section of the library. Harry chuckled, Nott had brought in many things that would get him expelled, if not Detention, with Filch for the entire school year. Harry suddenly felt sorry for his dorm mate and cast a Mass Disillusionment Charm on anything that would look suspicious. Not many people could cast a Mass Disillusionment Charm and Nott and Malfoy looked at him in surprise. Harry just rolled his eyes.

Nott gave him a thankful look before settling back on his bed as if he'd never moved. Malfoy suddenly threw Harry's defense book at him and Harry caught it, and fell back on his own bed, as Malfoy was doing with a transfiguration book. Harry had just managed to open his book and turn it the right side up when their door opened. Harry lowered his book and sat up, as if he had been there the entire time, and the appearance of his professors was a mystery to him.

"Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, did you find out what happened to us?" Harry asked innocently as his dorm mates sat up themselves and looked at their Professors in much the same way.

"Something like that," Snape sneered with a dangerous tone.

"Harry, may we have a word with you alone for a moment?" Harry looked to the other two boys, who simply shrugged, but Harry caught the glint of uncertainty in Malfoy's eyes, and smirked slightly before looking back at the two professors.

Harry set his book aside and got up to follow his professors. "Sure," Harry said as they left the room. No sooner had the dormitory door closed then Snape grabbed Harry's robes and slammed him roughly against the opposite wall. "Bloody Hell, Snape, what's going on, let me go!" Harry shouted as if in complete surprise.

"Show me your left arm Potter!" Snape demanded bringing his wand up to Harry's throat.

Harry looked at Snape with fear in his eyes, and then to Dumbledore for good measure. "W-what, I don't understand." Snape leveled his wand Harry's eyes and Harry flinched back. Dumbledore forced Snape to back off and let go of him, and Harry collapsed to the floor and looked up to Dumbledore with frightened eyes.

"Please, Mr. Potter, show us your left arm," Dumbledore said calmly.

"I didn't know your trust in me had fallen so far. I'm not a Death Eater Professor," Harry said with a bit of a plea in his somewhat shaky voice.

"Just show us," Snape snapped.

Harry rolled back the sleeve of his robe to his elbow, and slowly rolled his arm over to reveal a blemish free forearm. "As I said, I'm not a Death Eater."

Snape grabbed a hold of his arm. "But you were there, I saw you!"

"There w-where?" stammered Harry with all of his innocents.

"At the Death Eater meeting on Halloween!" snarled Snape, and Harry pulled his arm away from the man and stood slowly up.

"Professor, I was found unconscious by you with several other students on Halloween. It took us nearly three days to wake up. How could I have been at a Death Eater meeting if I was unconscious?" asked Harry with just the right amount of anger showing in his voice.

Dumbledore sighed, "You could not have been. I must apologize, Harry. Voldemort is obviously trying to make fools of us all. You have done nothing within the last two months to warrant this treatment. I am sorry, you may go back in your dormitory, as I believe your dorm mates are showing some concern for you."

Harry looked over Dumbledore's shoulder to see Malfoy and Nott looking out into the hall. Harry suppressed a smirk. "Professor, just because I made one mistake two months ago does not mean that I'm going to go Dark. I thought that I had already proven that to you. I guess I was wrong," Harry said sadly and left his Professors in the hall.

As soon as Malfoy had closed the door behind them, Harry doubled over and clamped his hands over his mouth to silence his laughter. Malfoy and Nott were doing much the same thing, when the door suddenly opened to admit Crabbe and Goyle, who were stuffed, what looked to be somewhat painfully, into Harry's and Draco's too thin robes. Of course, this made everyone laugh harder.

A/N: Poor Harry, how wronged he's been, mistrusted by dear Professor Dumbledore, and how harsh that good for nothing Snape is being... OK enough sympathy for evil Harry, onward to the next chapter!


	20. The Light Reborn

_A spark in the darkness forms a mighty flame that grows to consume and light the way._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Twenty – The Light Reborn

The thing that Harry had to out right laugh at, after their identities were all revealed to him, was that every single one of the Death Eaters in Hogwarts was in the D.A. this year, and they were at the top of it. Harry kind of felt as if he had his own little Death Eater Army, and at this moment, it was somewhat true. They came to him from their own diminutive groups. Asking questions in code about their families when news came about Death Eater captures and deaths. Everyone of them had learned in some way that Harry had a direct link to the Dark Lord, and they all, unless in the presence of Voldemort, revered Harry as the Dark Lords equal, and they feared and respected him as much. The only person who was ever bothered by this was Malfoy, as it used to be him that everyone went to.

It was the first week of December and Harry had just finished eating his lunch, at the Slytherin table, when he looked up to the glistening eyes of a Ravenclaw fifth year and Death Eater. Harry had been expecting this, Voldemort had told him to. Harry stood up and gently took the girls hand, leading her out of the Great Hall, and away from prying eyes. Malfoy followed their progress, but returned to his food with a scowl on his face.

As soon as they were out of the entrance hall and down one of the obscure passageways, which people rarely used, Harry stopped and turned to the girl. "I'm sorry Sam," Harry used Samantha Fawcett's short name and continued, although tears were already starting to well up in her eyes. "It was your sister."

The girl fought to hold back her tears but one slid down her cheek anyways. She closed her eyes for a moment and then looked back up to Harry with determination in her eyes. "How, how'd she die?" whispered Sam.

Harry looked away from the girl. He wasn't supposed to reveal too much, but some remnant inside him that was still good, couldn't let this girl go away without some sort of answer. Harry looked back to the girl and breathed out heavily. "I could be punished for this, but you should know. It was only supposed to be an in and out mission. All they were after was information that would damage the ministry. She was sent in with a new recruit and as they were leaving, he panicked, and it alerted the Aurors on duty. She managed to get a few curses off but was killed."

"And what of the new recruit?" Sam asked scathingly.

"Sam, it doesn't matter…"

She grabbed the front of Harry's robes. "He escaped and left my sister there, didn't he? What happened to the new recruit Harry, does he go to school here? Do I know him?"

"Yes. He portkeyed away, but he's being dealt with. And no, you don't know him."

Sam let go of Harry's robes abruptly and backed away. "Being dealt with? He left before the Aurors noticed, didn't he. That's why she was revealed. He attracted them!" Sam spat harshly.

"Yes. But it doesn't matter, Sam. This was a simple mission. No one should have been killed. The Aurors shouldn't have been using Killing Curses…" Harry trailed off. Something was wrong, or maybe something was right. He felt suddenly odd. Harry shook the feeling away as Sam threw herself against him, crying. Harry held the girl uncomfortably, until she got herself under control. As soon as she pulled away, Harry lifted her face with his hand. "Are you going to be alright?" He looked into her blue eyes.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I better go write my mother, she'll want to know…"

"Sam, do not tell her anything I've told you. You can tell her that she was killed, that is all," Harry said seriously.

Sam nodded again. "Yeah, I know. I won't tell her anything," she said looking up to his glamoured eyes.

"Good," Harry breathed as he watched her go, with a sudden stab of pain in his heart, which was a very unfamiliar feeling. He leaned against the cold wall and put his head in his hands, when he looked back up, it was to see Voldemort standing in front of him and he didn't look happy.

"I gave you one simple instruction. All you were to tell her was that her sister had been killed. That was all she needed to know!" Voldemort seethed.

Harry stood ridged as pain coursed through his scar. "I didn't give anything away that was secret. She would have found out eventually," Harry said with anger in his voice.

"Eventually would have been fine, but now she has her heart set on vengeance against the Aurors. As well as the new Death Eater, who abandoned her sister. She may leave the Death Eater, but I will not be able to send her on missions where there will be Aurors now. She will act too impulsively. She did not need to know that they were using Killing Curses. She would have formed her own conclusions, and thought that her sister had been killed by an overly powerful stunner, an accident that she would have accepted," Voldemort ranted and Harry had to force himself not to lean against the wall with boredom.

"I apologize my Lord," Harry said and forced himself to bow slightly. "It will not happen again." Harry looked back at the Dark Lord with loathing in his eyes. His hatred of the man was to boiling point. But what was odd was his hate for Voldemort had never been so great in the past.

"See that it doesn't, Potter. Do not disobey me again. I will not be so lenient next time!" Voldemort disappeared at the same time as sending a wave of pain through Harry's scar.

Harry slid down the wall and put his head in his hands until his punishment had subsided. At least he hadn't been called for another round of Cruciatus. Like had been the week before, but that had been Malfoy's fault, and he had just gotten dragged along for the ride.

Harry eventually set off to his next class. He made it to Defense just before the start of class. Snape threw him a sharp look as he slid into his seat, next to Malfoy. Harry had, in a spectacular display of acting, dealt with Severus Snape two weeks ago. He had even turned on the tears. It had been masterful. The man still loathed him, but he was as harmful as a de-clawed kitten now, at least where Harry's secrets were concerned.

It was funny really. Harry had accomplished something that Severus Snape never fully did. He had wormed his way into the inner circle, and he had done it in less then a month. Harry had Voldemort's complete trust, and the man looked upon Harry as if he were his biological son. An unpleasant shiver ran up Harry's spine at that thought.

Harry glared back at Snape before he started on the assignment that was magically scrawled onto the black board. It was halfway through class when Harry had the odd feeling again, but this time it was worse. It was unsettling, and Harry couldn't pin point where it was coming from. He saw his hands were shaking and Malfoy noticed this too.

"Potter, what's wrong?" Draco whispered beside him.

Harry clutched the desk to stop his hands. "I don't know."

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, is there something you would like to share with the class?" Snape sneered from his desk.

Harry's hands stopped shaking and he looked up to his head of house. "No, nothing," he answer as he suppressed a growl of annoyance that wanted escape. Harry felt a bit light headed and empty, like he was missing or forgetting something, but the feeling was brief and then it was gone completely.

"Good, get back to work," Snape barked out and Harry shook his head and looked back to his assignment.

For the rest of the lesson Malfoy kept shooting glances at him, but Harry just shrugged them off. Whatever the feeling had been, it was gone now. Harry avoided Malfoy as he left the classroom on his way to his last class before dinner. He didn't have any answers, so hearing pointless questions was well, pointless. It had probably been nothing anyways.

Harry was just rounding a corner when Pansy Parkinson sidled up next to him in an overly affectionate way. She wrapped her slim hands around one of his arms, and put her body a little too close to his. "So Harry, do you have a date to the Yule Ball yet?" she purred

The Yule Ball, Harry should have known. Dumbledore had announced it a week ago. He had thought it would be good to lift spirits after so many Death Eater attacks. Harry hadn't given it much thought. He really hadn't planned to go, but he was sure that he'd be conned into it somehow. Pansy Parkinson was not high on his list of people he would want to take, and he had no intension of asking her.

"I don't," he said truthfully, wrapping his arm around the girl, in a false friendly manner. "Unfortunately I don't think that I'm going to be able to go. I already have something planned for me for that night," Harry said and the girl pouted sadly up at him.

Pansy leaned into him, much more closer then he wanted to be to her. "Are you sure you can't get out of it?"

"I don't think that _he _would allow it," Harry said in irritation towards the female Death Eater. Using Voldemort as an excuse always worked. "However, I believe that Draco has not asked anyone as of yet, and I know for a fact, that he has nothing else to do that night."

Pansy pouted one last time and then smiled at him sweetly. She got on her toes and whispered into his ear. "If you change your mind, I don't mind being taken by two," she purred before she turned away, walking back the way she had come. "Oh Draco, there you are…" Harry heard her squeal.

Harry shuddered and rolled his eyes. He kept walking towards his next class with an almost sickening feeling. _If only Ron knew_. Harry stopped dead in his tracks as an image of a determined, younger Ron Weasley, in the middle of a giant chessboard, passed through his mind. _Where did that thought come from?_

He hadn't spoken to Ronald Weasley since the Quidditch match a month ago, and had no intension of doing so now. Ron had stopped coming to D.A. lessons, as had Ginny and Neville, but for whatever reason Hermione never missed a lesson. Not that Harry cared anymore about his old Gryffindor friends, they had just held him back.

Harry rubbed his head as Hermione's face, exhilarated but frightened, flashed through his memory. _When did I see her…?_ Harry remembered, it had been when they were on Buckbeak after they had rescues Sirius.

_Sirius…_

Harry staggered against the wall with his eyes closed as Sirius, happy at Christmas the year before, surfaced to the front of his mind. With such force that he was sure he was going to black out from it, the memory of his godfather falling through the vale in the Department of Mysteries followed. Harry held his head, what was happening to him?

Harry was startled out of his memories by a hand on his shoulder. It was Malfoy. Pansy and several other sixth year Slytherins were standing in the hall behind him.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Draco asked.

Harry shook his head as the sudden memories left him completely. "Damned if I know," he scoffed. "Probably my punishment for disobeying the Dark Lord this afternoon," Harry laughed and several other chuckles followed. "Come on we're going to be late for Transfiguration. I wouldn't want to see the look on old McGonagall's face, if all the Slytherin's were late. Especially with us having the bloody class with Gryffindor," Harry laughed, as he brushed by Malfoy. Several laughs followed as they all set off in the direction of the transfiguration classroom. Malfoy hung behind with a deep scowl on his face, and a glint of mistrust in his eyes.

The next morning was the worst Harry had ever woken up to. He had a throbbing headache, which had nothing to do with his scar. And the odd feeling was back with a vengeance. Harry rolled out of his bed with a groan and slipped his deep green slippers on. It wasn't late but it wasn't early either. Some of his dorm mates were already up. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, were surprisingly gone, but Zabini and Nott were still asleep. Harry grabbed his toiletries and robe and staggered across the hall and into the bathroom. The lights were dim but they hurt Harry's eyes. If he didn't know better, he would have thought that he had a hangover, except that he hadn't drunk anything the night before.

Harry moved over to the sinks and splashed cold water onto his face, hoping that waking himself up some more would rid him of the headache and the odd feeling. After he dried his face, he looked up to his reflection in the mirror, and then stumbled back in fear. Harry shook his head and rubbed his eyes but his reflection was the same when he looked back up. It was his reflection but it showed pure evil. Harry took a deep breath in and then walked backwards away from the mirror. What was happening to him? Why should he care if his reflection showed him what he was. But that was the thing; he did care.

Suddenly the image in the mirror screamed in his voice. "WHAT HAVE YOU BECOME!"

Something snapped in Harry's mind and emotions flooded his senses. "NO!" Harry screamed and turned from the mirror. He slammed his fists onto the stonewall. "What have I done!" Harry cried and slid down the wall as he looked up to the mirrors in horror, all of them seemed to follow him, even as he tried to get away from the truth. Darkness had claimed his very soul and he had let it.

Harry curled up into a ball and started shaking near uncontrollably. It was then that Voldemort started to speak in his mind. "_Potter, what are you doing_?" Voldemort asked just as his projection appeared beside Harry.

Harry calmed himself and then looked up to the Dark Lord, loathing in his eyes. "You thought you had me; didn't you? You thought the Dark Magic had consumed me completely. Looks like you were wrong," Harry whispered as he stood. He walked to the nearest mirror and grasped the sink below it with both of his shaking hands. "What have I done?" Harry said just as quietly to the green and red-eyed reflection. A look of revulsion washed over his face. "WHAT HAVE I BECOME!" Harry screamed and smashed his fists into the mirror, which abruptly shattered into hundreds of pieces, all showing his hated eyes as they fell.

Harry looked at his hands, which were imbedded with shards of glass and covered in his blood. Harry bent down calmly and picked up one of the larger shards and slowly ran it across the visible Dark Mark. He did it again, and again with tears in his eyes, but the mark refused to be distorted. Harry collapsed to his knee and dropped the piece of mirror as he was racked with sobs.

"Your life is mine Potter, nothing you do will change that. I am your master and that mark means you belong to me for as long as you live," Voldemort said harshly but calmly. "Give this madness up and come back to me. Darkness is in your soul, let it have you."

Harry stopped sobbing and looked up to Voldemort with revulsion and determination in his pure emerald green eyes. The Dark Magic that had flowed through him was gone. It had simply vanished. "I may belong to you Tom. I may have been your servant for a time. But I will no longer serve you," Harry whispered as he stood up and faced Voldemort who had anger washing across his face. "One day, very soon, I will see you destroyed by my own hands. NOW GET OUT OF MY MIND!" Harry roared as he concentrated just as he had done, what seemed so long ago, and the link was snapped and Harry fell to the floor panting and covered in sweat, as if he had just run several miles. The link wasn't going to come back this time, at least not for a long while.

The bathroom door opened and Blaise Zabini came in. His face paled considerably as he took in the sight of Harry and the blood pooling around him. "Harry, what happened?"

Harry smiled, a genuine smile, not a smirk or sneer, for the first time in months. "I've beaten it. I was so lost for so long, but I've beaten it..." he whispered and then his face suddenly went very grave, very pale. "Voldemort's going to kill me," Harry said weakly, seriously.

"No, Harry, your going to kill you, unless we stop this bleeding." Blaise seemed to have snapped out of his shock, and had picked up Harry's towel from the floor. He wrapped it around Harry's forearm. "Rather sloppy job you did there. Thought you would have been smart enough to know you can't do any damage to the mark," Zabini said with a half smirk as he helped Harry to his feet. "Come on, we should get you to Madam Pomfrey."

"No," Harry protested. "No, no one can know about this. I'll take care of it myself," Harry whispered before he left the bathroom. Zabini watching him go with concern in his eyes, debating whether or not to tell someone.

A while later, Harry returned to the dormitory to see that everyone had already left. He looked down at his still blood-splattered watch. Classes would be starting shortly, but Harry hadn't any intension of going to them, he just didn't have the energy. Harry had managed to get himself cleaned up and the bleeding stopped, but he had to break into Lyndira's stores to get a strengthening and replenishing potion, just to keep himself standing. He had just managed to get out of her office before she arrived, and Harry hoped that she didn't notice the spots of blood that he had left behind. He gingered his bandaged left arm and his now blood free hands, as he pulled on his school robes. It would have been better if he knew some healing spells, but if he had learned anything from living with the Dursley's, it had been how to fix himself up the Muggle way.

Harry still had hundreds of tiny red nicks and scratches covering both hands but he hid them with his sleeves, as he picked up his book bag. He was tired, and all he wanted to do was hide and wait. Voldemort was coming for him, Harry didn't have to have the link with Riddle to tell him that. Harry stuffed a few of his schoolbooks into his bag and left the room. Hiding was exactly what Harry was going to do, but he was going to do it in plain site.

And so that's what Harry found himself doing hours later. He sat in the library with his books spread about the table in front of him. He had completed all of his assignments for the week to keep himself busy, and now he just sat reading on animagus traits. No one had bothered him. Madam Pince hadn't even asked him why he wasn't in class, and Harry was grateful for it, as he looked up and out the frosted windows.

The light was slowly fading, and Harry was wondering how long he had been sitting there, when Professor McGonagall's voice sounded throughout the school. "All students to their dormitories immediately, all staff to entrance hall!" Her voice was calm but urgent, and Harry, though he knew he should be alarmed by the abrupt announcement, had little indifference. But if anyone had looked at him close enough, they would have seen how pale he had gone.

Madam Pince hurriedly walked up to him. "You heard the announcement, Mr. Potter. Get to your dormitory now. Never mind your things, you can collect them later," she added as Harry had started to gather his books and parchments.

Harry found himself rushed out of the library moments later and pushed in the direction of the dungeons. He slowly walked in that direction but slipped into one of the less used passageways, where he took the stairs down two at a time. Harry wasn't heading for the dungeons though, he was heading for the entrance hall.

Suddenly he was accosted by Hermione on one side of him and Ron on the other. They had slipped out of a passageway just behind him. "Harry would you talk some sense into her! She seems to think it's crucial to get to the Great Hall!" Ron blurted trying to stop Hermione and in the process, stopped him as well.

Harry looked to Hermione suddenly. "It's too dangerous, Voldemort's here. Go back to Gryffindor Tower, both of you," he ordered.

"You don't control us, Harry. I have to get to the Great Hall. There is portkey there that leads to the ministry. I have to alert them now," Hermione said, wrenching her arm out of Ron's grasp.

"I'm sure they've already been alerted…" Harry began, just as a loud gong sounded throughout the halls. So loud, that it rattled the glass in windows.

"What the hell was that?" Ron blurted.

"I don't believe it, he's brought the wards down!" Harry whispered, and this time he couldn't be unconcerned by this. He had to get out of here now. Voldemort would soon be able to Apparate in. Harry grabbed Hermione's arm, none too gently, and pushed her into a near by closet, and then he did the same to Ron, who was too surprise to protest. "Dumbledore's reasoning is flawed if he thinks he can sacrifice my friends just to protect me! I'll go to the ministry. This is my fault anyways," Harry threw up a powerful locking charm on the door just as it was closed in his two old friends' faces. Hopefully Hermione wouldn't be able to unlock the door until this was over.

Hermione pounded her fists against the door. "Harry you don't even know where the portkey is!" Harry ignored her cry. He didn't have to know, Dumbledore's portkeys were always some sort of mug or cup and it was likely to be on or near the head table.

This time as Harry took the stairs two at a time it wasn't at such an easy pace. He could hear the sounds of curses being fired and shouts from just outside of the entrance hall, but the doors stood closed and strong. It took Harry every fiber in his body to not go help the teachers that fought unknowingly to keep him safe. Harry firmed his resolve. He needed to get to Luminous. They needed the Aurors here now. Not to mention, something in his mind was yelling at him that if he stayed, he'd be killed. If he were killed, there'd be no one to stop Voldemort. Harry flung open the large wooden doors of the Great Hall, as if they were kindling and weighed no more then paper weights. A shout rang out behind him, but Harry didn't hear the cry as he sprinted towards the staff table.

Harry was halfway down the Great Hall, when he was hit from behind with a curse. The curse had so much force in it, that Harry found himself lifted up, and flung around in mid air, and slammed painfully against the wall behind the staff table. Harry slid down the wall in a rush and landed hard on his knees, on the floor below the large stained-glass windows.

Spots danced in front of his eyes as he lifted his head to find Lord Voldemort standing over him with his wand out and pointed at Harry's head. Harry felt the start of the curse before the words were even spoken, and with the speed built from years of Quidditch, and his physical training, Harry rolled away just as the Killing Curse hit the wall right where his head had been moments before. The wall scorched and sizzled, from the curse hitting Harry's blood that stained the wall, where Harry been.

Harry was now on his stomach and he put his hand on the back of his head, and came away with his blood all over it. He didn't flinch at the sight of so much of his blood, but he did at one thought; less then a foot in either direction, and he would have been thrown through the windows, and more then likely, fallen to his death. That thought made him sick, and that thought was what kept Harry where he was for too long.

"Why do you keep escaping me Potter? _Crucio_!" Harry couldn't move quick enough to avoid this curse, and it washed over him. Harry bit his lip to stop the scream that ripped out of him regardless. The curse was lifted just as Harry was grabbed by his collar and pulled to his feet.

"Your master asked you a question, Potter. Aren't you going to answer?" Lucius Malfoy hissed into Harry's ear harshly, and twisted his robes in the back to strangle any response out of him that Harry would have given. Harry tried to get out of Lucius' grasp but just ended up having the grip tightened and making him gasp for air.

"You've betrayed me Potter, and I will make you suffer!" Voldemort's words were harsh and full of hatred. That in itself gave away the curse he was about to use on him. Harry reacted with all the strength he could muster to escape Lucius' death grip. He wretched his shoulder around and slammed his elbow into Malfoy's stomach, which promptly made the man let go and double over, just as Voldemort's spell would have hit him. Lucius was hit instead and dropped to the floor and screamed out in agony. Harry rolled away and started to sprint to the now closed doors, even as he was relishing in the sounds of Malfoy's screams.

Harry went to grab for his wand, but it was gone. He searched the hall frantically for it, but it wasn't there and he was in no condition to attempt Merlin's magic, after so long of not using it. It would drain him too quickly. Somewhere over his shoulder, he heard the high-pitched laughs of Bellatrix Lestrange. As he was almost to the door, he turned just in time to see one of the house tables flying towards him. It skidded across the floor with a loud wood against stone screech. It hit him before Harry had time to react and pinned him at the waist against the wall. All air was knock from his lungs and blood with it from the impact.

Harry was amazed that he was still conscious as he tried to get free. But every time he moved, an excruciating pain shot down his legs. Harry was slumped over the table as he lifted his head to Voldemort, who was slowly approaching. This was it, Harry was stuck and powerless, and it was a struggle to even put air in his lungs, as blood caught in his throat. He'd lost and for what? He'd turned against everyone, and now he was going to die for his mistakes. No one was going to come to his rescue.

"You and I could have been great. We could have ruled the world. I looked upon you as if you were my own son! But you've had your chance, Potter. _AVADA KEDAVRA!"_

The curse echoed in Harry's ears and throughout the Great Hall. Harry saw the green beam of light leave the wand as if in slow motion and his life did literally flash before his eyes. Starting with the most recent horrible memories, and descending backwards through time. Harry felt the beam hit him and the pain was excruciating, it was death and he felt his life leaving him just as his memories reach the night his mother had died. Her screams echoed through his ears, and then they turned into the loudest trill of phoenix song Harry had ever heard. Something forced itself out of Harry and forced life back into him.

Harry shuddered, and suddenly opened his eyes to the Great Hall, just as the Killing Curse rebounded off him. He saw Voldemort jump out of the way, but Bellatrix Lestrange, who was nearly in back of her lord, wasn't so lucky. She crumpled to the ground, dead, just as the curse hit her square in the chest.

"Impossible!" Voldemort screeched and then Disapparated with a earsplitting crack, just as the doors to the Great Hall slammed opened. The hall swarmed instantly with professor's and Order members.

Harry tried to take a breath in to draw there attention, but was unable to. All he could do was weakly cough up more blood. He looked up to Dumbledore who had just turned to him, as he felt his entire body go numb and then he collapsed and everything went black, as he fell into blissful unconsciousness.

A/N: I know, I know, next chapter please! Harry's back, but he's in some pretty bad shape. Try to wait patiently to see what's going to happen to our wayward Hero.


	21. Nothing is going to stand in my way'

_Harry recovers and confesses. He's forced to go to the ball, and then he makes a determined declaration._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Twenty-One - 'Nothing is going to stand in my way!'

_A comfortable warmth washed over Harry, replacing the bitter cold that chilled him to his very soul. He remembered nothing, but he remembered everything. It was as if he was two people, in two different places and in two different times. One part of himself was free from the world that ruled him. Free to be a normal teenager, free to let himself dream of all the possibilities that his future could hold. The other part of him, the realistic part of him, the man in him, was scared to death of the future that was covered by a veil of uncertainty. He was scared of what his world actually held. Death, darkness, and pain, unimaginable pain; pain the likes a teenager his age should never go through. He had seen and done terrible things and all he wanted, was for the world to swallow him whole, just to end the suffering._

_Harry slowly opened his eyes, and a single tear fell down his cheek. He looked around him to find that he was sitting comfortably alone in the Headmasters office. Comfortably, some how, he didn't feel as if he should be comfortable at that moment. Hadn't he just been nearly killed by Tom Riddle? The question churned in his mind as his eyes slid over the Headmaster's desk and then around the room again. A fire burned low in the fireplace, and Fawkes was perched on his stand off to the side. Fawkes? Harry lifted himself out of the chair, and seemed to glide over to the phoenix. He ran his hand over the bird's soft feathers and felt a sudden contentment, as if everything was right in the world._

"_It was you, wasn't it? You saved me," Harry's whispered words sounded hollow as he looked at the phoenix who stared back at him unblinkingly._

"_No, my darling, you saved yourself," a soft voice came from behind Harry._

_Harry spun around and then rushed to the emerald-eyed woman that stood only feet away. He threw himself into her arms. "Mum…" Harry cried into her shoulder. "Mum, I'm so sorry, I couldn't fight it…"_

"_Shh, my darling, it's alright, it'll all be alright," Lily gently hugged her son._

_Harry suddenly looked up to his mother with frightened eyes. "Am I dead?"_

"_No, Harry, you are not. This is a dream. I entered it to give you comfort. You need it now more then ever," Lily said as tears came to her eyes, Harry's eyes, but her smile only deepened as she ran her hands over his hair. "My baby's all grown up, and what a handsome man you've turned out to be."_

_Harry pulled away from his mother. "I have done some terrible things. And I will do more terrible things before this is finished…"_

"_Yes, Harry, you will," Lily said with honesty. "It will be hard for you to find trust ever again, but I can at least help you rid the world of Tom Riddle."_

_Harry looked at his mother with uncertainty, "how?"_

"_Sirius gave you a letter. He mentioned in it a surprise."_

"_In his closet, I thought he was joking…"_

"_No. The item belonged to me. You will know what it does when you see it. But Harry, use it as a last resort, it will kill you," Lily's words held conviction._

_Harry nodded his head and determination showed in his eyes. "I understand."_

_Lily embraced Harry again and he felt her love and welcomed it. "I must go now, please be safe my son. One day we will meet again," Lily started to fade from Harry's dream. "I love you…" and then she was gone and Harry was left alone with his thoughts._

_Harry stared out the window of the Headmaster's office. Out into a sea of stars, that twinkled and would twinkle for all eternity. Harry's eyes hardened to stone as he made a decision. Whether he lost his life or not, he was going to kill Tom Riddle. He just hoped that it didn't damn his soul anymore then it already was._

_Harry looked back towards Fawkes and shook his head. "Phoenix song, remarkable…"_

Harry groggily opened his eyes from his deep sleep, as he heard a croak from somewhere beside him. "Trevor?" Harry asked stupidly with a very soft voice, as he focused on the toad and then on the person holding him.

"Hi-ya, Harry," Neville Longbottom smiled at him.

"Neville, what…?" again, his voice came out barely above a scratchy whisper.

"I know, you were probably hoping to see Hermione and Ron when you finally woke up. They sat with you for nearly five days straight, before Madam Pomfrey ordered them to get some sleep. If you can imagine, Hermione refused to even go to classes. The only reason she obeyed, was because I said I'd sit with you. Luna was here too, but she went to go get us some lunch from the Great Hall," Harry blinked in confusion at Neville's yammering and then tried to sit up but Neville pushed him back down gently. "Take it easy, Harry. You've been through a lot."

"What happened?" Harry's throat was very dry, and again, the words barely sounded as he relaxed back into bed. Neville poured him a glass of water from a pitcher, which sat on the stand, beside Harry's bed.

"Umm, don't really know. Professor Dumbledore wouldn't tell us. I was listening in. He wouldn't even tell Mr. Lupin when he came to see you. He just told all of us that you were hurt really bad, but wouldn't give any details. But, umm, he seemed really angry, Harry. I've never seen him so angry," Neville explained and his face paled a bit as he did. He lowered his voice and moved closer to Harry, worry showing in his eyes. "Whatever happened Harry, I think it was really bad. Hermione and Ron saw you being taken from the Great Hall after the attack. Madam Pomfrey had to give Hermione a calming draught after she saw you. She told us in Gryffindor that she'd never seen you in such bad shape. She said, that she was sure you were dead."

Harry shook his head in confusion. "Attack, when, I don't…" Harry's eyes suddenly shot to his covered left arm. There was a fresh bandage in the place of the make shift one. Harry immediately tried to get out of bed again, but the pain in his legs and back prevented his movements and he collapsed back into the bed, stifling a pained filled moan, as Neville pushed him back down again.

"Harry, really, please stop doing that."

"Neville, get Dumbledore for me," Harry panted, out of breath from the effort of moving, and the sharp pains that ran up his back.

"Of course Harry, but I'm getting Madam Pomfrey first," Neville said as he got up and walked quickly away.

Harry didn't protest in the least, he was still wondering if Dumbledore had seen the Dark Mark. _Of Course he has, stupid, they changed the bandage! _Harry suddenly started to panic, what if Dumbledore thought he was dark? What if he didn't give him a chance to explain? What would happed to him? Harry tried desperately to sit up again, but was rewarded with more pain. This time it made him cry out, and then Madam Pomfrey was at his side, and pushing him back down, yet again.

"There is no escaping from your actions this time, Mr. Potter. You are very lucky even to be alive. You will not be going anywhere for quite a while," she said in a clipped voice as she ran her wand over him and the tip changed colors three or four times.

"What happened to me?" Harry managed to gasp out before there was a vile of potion handed to him. Harry drank it without question, it was a Pain-Reducing Potion. He'd had them plenty of times.

"You mean besides the fact that you nearly died," the nurse said with abrupt and unusual sarcasm. She shook her head as Harry opened his mouth to give back a retort. "How do you feel?" she interrupted him.

"Like I've been run over by the Hogwarts Express," Harry spit out somewhat sarcastically, and then the reason why the medi-witch was being so uncharacteristically sour, dawned on Harry. She'd seen the Dark Mark, of course she had. Harry closed his eyes tiredly. "I'm sorry Madam Pomfrey, I- I just can't remember anything…"

Harry really wished that he could remember what happened, he knew it was really bad, or he wouldn't be in such pain still. Harry tried to recall what the last thing he remembered was. He was reading… It was a complete blank. He somewhat recalled an announcement and something about his mother, but that was as far as his memory extended, he didn't even remember what the announcement was.

"You may go to lunch Mr. Longbottom. Please tell Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger that Harry is awake, and I'll let them know when they can see him," Professor Dumbledore said as he came into the Hospital Wing. "You're going to have to remember something, Harry. I want an explanation. Everything you told Professor Snape and myself were lies, weren't they?" Dumbledore said coldly.

Neville had lingered in the doorway and he gave Harry a worried look before he left with Trevor in hand. Harry watched him go with a bit of detachment and then he saw that Madam Pomfrey had left as well, but with a scowl on her face.

Harry looked back to Dumbledore, the man was angry, he had a right to be. "Most of it, yes," Harry finally sighed.

"I found you in the Great Hall pinned to the wall by one of the house tables," Dumbledore sat down on Harry's bed and grabbed Harry's left arm. He waved his wand over it and the bandages unraveled themselves. "When we got you to the Hospital Wing we found this," the anger in the Headmaster's voice was biting, as the bandages finished unraveling.

Harry turned his head away from the scarred forearm and chard-black Dark Mark, which was revealed as the bandages fell away. A tear rolled down Harry's cheek. "I'm sorry, s-so sorry," Harry whispered as his memories of his crimes came flooding back to him. He'd killed and tortured for Voldemort, dragging himself further into darkness, and what for?

"Bellatrix Lestrange was found dead, feet from you. Care to explain to me what's really been going on?" More anger and fear showed through in Dumbledore's voice with each word.

Harry looked up into the blue eyes of his Headmaster, but then he looked away, he couldn't bear the disappointment. Harry started off in a voice barely above a whisper, his voice getting stronger as he relayed the events of the past months. It was time the truth came out. "I guess it all started this summer. I was dying at Private Drive. I was letting myself waste away when Voldemort started feeding me emotions, fear and anger, among most of them…

"Luminous started sending me Merlin's Diaries. They helped me fight Voldemort back. I tried to tell you, of Merlin's Diaries but the spell prevented me. So I decided just to learn everything I could, and then he started talking to me. Voldemort was growing stronger thanks to our link. He found a way for us to project ourselves to each other from our minds. I don't know, maybe he thought that I was becoming too happy. He gave me his curse and left me alone for a while, but not before telling me of my ancestors…

"Voldemort had been trying for a while to get me to join him, and then he just stuck around to bug me after I was sorted into Slytherin. It would have been so easy… He'd finally leave me alone… All I'd have to do was say yes…When I found out about Blaise being a spy, I thought, that it would be a wonderful opportunity to get information on Voldemort…" Harry's words trailed off into even more of a whisper before he continued with a stronger voice. "The evening that the Dark Magic from Slytherin's book was passed on to me, Voldemort was baiting me in my mind, trying to get me to join him again. Through my anger, I finally said yes...

"It seemed as if I was free of him. He'd lifted the curse and hadn't bothered me in almost two months, not until Halloween. On Halloween night, I took the mark. Voldemort of course, wanted more of me. He didn't trust me yet, not completely. So I proved my loyalty and handed over Professor Snape, but it wasn't enough, I knew it wasn't. I summoned Slytherin's Diary to me and presented it as gift to him, but I still felt uncertainty from him. I used one of the spells from Slytherins book to make Voldemort as he once was. It was too much Dark Magic, it consumed me, I couldn't fight it, and at that point, I didn't want to. That night I killed Peter Pettigrew…" Another tear rolled down Harry's cheek and Harry closed his eyes as he clenched his hands into fists with the memory. "I was so consumed by anger, I let the Dark Magic take over. I lifted my hand, and I shot the Killing Curse at him, without a wand. It made me feel alive and powerful…" Harry looked back to Dumbledore with his emotions laying plan on his face. He no longer hid the emotional pain he held. It was just too much to hide anymore.

The old man had masked his emotions and Harry couldn't guess what he was thinking. "And now?" asked Dumbledore quietly.

"And now," Harry repeated. "And now, I just feel sick and hollow…"

"What happened in the Great Hall?" Dumbledore asked in a stern voice.

Harry remembered, oh yes, now he did. Isn't it ironic, that when you really need a memory, it'll come back to you, but it always waits to the last second, so you never have time to think on it. "I defied _him_, somehow I fought back the darkness. I broke our link, It hasn't come back yet… The attack on the school was my fault. I betrayed him, and he came to kill me," Harry raise his hand to his head and touched the mark on his forehead. It felt different, faint even. "Voldemort did kill me, I was pinned and dying. I had nowhere to go when the Avada Kedavra hit me. I died, I know I did, I felt my life leave me, but then come back, and a power… phoenix song…" Harry shook his head as if to clear it. "The curse rebounded off me. Voldemort got out of the way and it hit Bellatrix."

"Why didn't you come to me Harry, before the Dark Magic took hold of you, why didn't you come to me for help?"

Tears filled Harry's eyes and traces of anger. "I wanted to, but I was angry. You gave me this prophecy and then left me alone with it, and then you wouldn't trust me with Merlin's Diaries. You believed I was learning Dark Magic even though I said I wasn't," Harry took in a calming deep breath, before he continued. "I was scared, of Voldemort, of Death, of what I was becoming. And above everything else, I was ashamed. I've done such terrible things under Voldemort's command… I helped kill twelve Muggles two weeks ago. I sat there and watched while each one of them was tortured to death just because they had children that were magical. I orphaned six children and for what? To find out that Voldemort is more powerful then anyone can possibly imagine. To be consumed so much in darkness that I betrayed everyone I've ever cared about…" A sharp stab of pain ran up Harry's spine and he closed his eyes and clenched his teeth against it. "What's wrong with me? Why am I in so much pain?" Harry gasped out.

Madam Pomfrey came out of her office at his words. "You suffered a massive head injury during the attack."

"Yeah I remember. I was thrown halfway across the Great Hall and into the wall behind the staff table," Harry groaned and Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore both gasped and winced.

"Though you lost a significant amount of blood I was able to heal your head, but it was the table that caused the most damage. You had several bones crushed as well as several organs. I'll be honest Mr. Potter, it was touch and go there for a while. I was able to heal most of the damage but I had to wait until you were awake to start healing the damage to your spinal cord."

"My… you will be able to heal it right?" Fear of never being able to walk again formed in Harry's mind and he almost started to panic again. But then he thought, he deserved no less for what he had done. Harry knew enough about Muggle medicine that damage to the spinal cord was bad.

"Rest assured Mr. Potter, It will take some time, but I will be able to heal you. Your body is already helping the process. It'll be at least a week until you are able to fully walk again, but you will walk again, I promise you that."

"Harry!" Hermione suddenly yelled and started for him, from the door where she and Ron had just come in.

Dumbledore stood and blocked Harry from their view. "Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, Harry is not well enough for visitors just yet. I will let you know when you can see him."

"B-But, can't we just sit with him, we won't get in the way," Hermione asked in a timid voice.

"I'm afraid not. Mr. Potter is in quite a bit of pain at the moment and I don't…"

"Leave Hermione," Harry said through clenched teeth. "I-I'll see you guys later." Another tear rolled down Harry's cheek, not from the pain, but because his friends hadn't given up on him, even with how much of a prat he'd been.

"Alright, w-we'll see you later…" Hermione whispered as she and Ron left the Hospital Wing, but Harry wouldn't see them till much later.

Madam Pomfrey shoved another vile into his hand, but Harry looked up to Dumbledore before he drank it, knowing that it would put him to sleep. "Professor, what's going to happen to me? Am I going to be sent to A…" Harry couldn't even make himself say the word. He couldn't even mouth it. He deserved to go to Azkaban, but he was so scared.

Dumbledore looked down upon him with sadness in his eyes. "I don't know, Harry. I just don't know…" Dumbledore said before he left Harry to his thoughts and a night of restless sleep, which would only be followed by more.

Harry had gotten lucky, at least in his opinion. Dumbledore hadn't expelled him and he hadn't told the ministry about his taking the Dark Mark. However, Dumbledore had made a deal with Harry for this. He had several stipulations that Harry would eventually be able to live with, and several rules that Harry would force himself to live with. The first stipulation out of three, was Harry had to tell Dumbledore everything, no more secrets, no more lies. Harry had been able to do that, it was painful, but he did it with one exception. He still kept secret about what was in Sirius' letter.

The next stipulation was something Harry had said yes to in a heartbeat. After the holidays, as it had been decided that he wouldn't be returning to classes or any dormitory until then, he would rejoined Gryffindor House. And then there was three. Harry would be going back to Grimmauld Place with Remus and the Weasley's for Christmas, where he would not be left alone for the entire Holiday. Harry had cringed at that, it wasn't that he didn't want to be with the Weasley's, it was that he was afraid to be. Harry was sure that they would be told something, if not everything, and he didn't want to see their reactions to it.

As for the rules, they were simple. He had to follow a strict schedule. He had to be with at least one person at all times, someone to hold him accountable. And under no circumstances, was he allowed to use any form of Dark Magic. That rule had been his own. Harry was afraid that if he used any form of Dark Magic that he would go dark again. He was fairly certain that the Dark Magic from Slytherin's diary was gone, but Harry didn't want to take any chances of it resurfacing. Harry thought of it as an addiction, a very powerful and dangerous addiction. Harry almost laughed when Dumbledore hadn't understood his reference to Red Kryptonite, when he had tried to explain his incident with the Dark Magic.

It took Harry just over a week to be able to walk again but he was doing it with a cane, as Madam Pomfrey insisted. She still hadn't let him out of the ward even with his being able to walk, but that was just fine with Harry, so he gave no protests. He refused to see anyone other then Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey, although Hermione hadn't stopped trying to visit him, even though she was always turned away. Harry just wasn't ready for the world yet, and seeing his friends, scared him just about as much as the thought of going to Azkaban.

As far as the rest of the school was concerned, Harry was very unwell. There were loads of rumors flying around about him, thanks to the Prophet, which was ready to declare Harry Potter dead. Apparently, he would be revered as if he were a god if he did die. Harry for once had done nothing to stunt these rumors. He actually kind of liked them. For the first time since the quibbler article, Harry had cut out and saved a few of his more favorite articles, which brought his grave injuries into light, and over embellished the facts of his sudden and tragic demise. How Trelawney must love the newspapers at this moment. Harry's favorite so far was the article that declared him dead and the one that followed, which spoke about the reporter having been fired for writing false information. It had made him laugh.

So naturally, to the Prophet, and to the general populace of Hogwarts, Harry was so gravely injured that he may never make a full recovery. They all thought him to be on his deathbed. So one could imagine how much of a surprise it was, when Harry Potter showed up at the Yule Ball, dressed in the finest, and looking to be relatively healthy, if not a little self-conscious.

Harry of course had no choice in the matter. Madam Pomfrey had literally threatened him into submission, and then, she quite simply, threw him out. Her clipped but cheerful screech still echoed in Harry's mind. '_Out, get out, you are well enough. I won't hide you from the world any longer, get out!'_ He'd been forced to stay against his will, brought there, even against his protests, but he'd _never_ been kicked out of the Hospital Wing before. It was rather quite amusing. But he'd lost his amusement when Remus showed up with Harry's dress robes, both pairs, and claiming that Dumbledore insisted he go to the ball. What was the old fool thinking?

Of course, Harry had grumbled, moaned, and eventually tried to plea his way out of going, just to be allowed to use the Gryffindor prefects' bathroom to wash up and change. Harry hadn't argued against that, and took extra long. And so, Harry Potter resided himself to his fate, but declared that if he was to be thrown back into the world, he would at least be thrown back in style. Remus just rolled his eyes at Harry's weak declaration and pushed him in the direction of the Great Hall.

So that's where he found himself. Harry's new cane, which Remus had been kind enough to buy to match his robes, black, it goes with everything; clicked lightly on the stone floor as he moved further into the Hall. The ball was considerably less formal then the Yule Ball held during the Triwizard Tournament, but Harry suppose that it was because they weren't competing against others schools. There was no real need to appear that formal now. In fact, Harry felt rather overdressed and he was tempted to turn around and leave when his name was shouted from a source, that he couldn't see, but recognized immediately. Not a half a minute later and Hermione was throwing herself into his arms and crying. Why did he always make girls cry?

Harry stood ridged and uncomfortable for a moment, before he hugged her back. She pulled away from him abruptly and looked him straight in the eyes for a moment. "You're back," she said reassuring herself, "I mean…"

Harry sighed. "I know what you mean."

"Harry," Ron said as he came forward with Ginny, Neville, and Luna Lovegood in tow.

"Ron, I… I'm…" Harry began.

"I know Harry, I mean we know, Dumbledore told us, everything," Ron stated.

Harry didn't know what to say to that. Did Ron mean the Prophecy as well. The utter look of forgiveness on the faces of his two closest friends was enough to confirm that. _That bloody Prophecy!_ Harry shouted in his head. He looked away from Ron, only to meet Hermione's eyes, which he looked away from as well. "He told you," Harry finally managed to get out in an angry whisper. "I know I did some terrible things, but he had no right. Why does he keep doing this to me, does he want the entire world to know?" Harry said harshly before he turned to leave the Great Hall.

"Harry, wait," Hermione said, but Harry kept walking.

He had just made it to the door when Draco called to him. "Potter!" the way Malfoy said his name, Harry was sure he wanted his blood, or maybe even, his head on a pike.

Harry whirled around, his fine green robes did a spectacular Snape billow, and Draco wisely took a step back as Harry took a step towards him, fire flashing in his eyes. Finally, for the first time in his life, Harry didn't give a damn about the consequences as he grabbed a hold of the blond Slytherin's robes, and shoved him to the floor, none too gently. But when Harry spoke, it wasn't what the hall had expected, by far.

"Get out while you still can Draco," Harry hissed harshly and then he looked up to everyone in the hall, the Death Eaters most of all. He commanded power in his eyes, not Dark Magic, just pure power. And it made several in the crowd flinch. "Hide, run, do whatever you have to. I'm giving you this one warning. Get out of Lord Voldemort's service before it's too late. Because I'm going to kill him and nothing, not a pampered young Death Eater, or the most prominent or powerful of them, will stop me," Harry's words were like thunder and the Hall was abruptly silenced. Harry turned on his heal and left, leaving several very pale junior Death Eaters, and an entire hall, of very shocked students and staff members, behind.

Harry ran, he knew he shouldn't and his back and legs were certainly going to regret it, but he ran anyways. Harry wished that all of this was a dream, the entire school year up to date. The newspapers were already having a field day with speculations on his health. How they got any of the information they did was really beyond Harry. Now they were going to either publicly slaughter him or lift him so high, he wouldn't need a broom to fly. He couldn't believe he had just thrown himself publicly into the war against Voldemort.

When he finally collapsed from overexertion and increasing pain, Harry found himself outside of the astronomy tower. The fact that he had managed to get so far into the castle, without collapsing sooner, was remarkable, as Harry hadn't been out of the Hospital wing in over a week.

Harry put his head in his hands and sighed somewhat hopelessly. His running thoughts had ceased when he had. And now he was left with nothing but himself. A clean slate, no thoughts of anger, fear or hatred, there were no thoughts of anything. It was peaceful, silent. Like sitting in the kitchen of Privet Drive before the light of morning brought him back into the real world. Harry missed this feeling and vowed that one day he'd get it back, somehow.

"Harry."

Harry was interrupted from his peace and he looked up to see the youngest Weasley staring down at him. "Did I do what I think I just did?"

"If you mean declaring in front of most of the school, that you are going to kill Tom, yes," Ginny said simply and Harry shook his head.

"Thought so, just checking," Harry sighed somewhat miserably.

Ginny sat down beside him. "I don't think I've ever seen so many deathly pale Slytherin's before," Ginny said faintly. Trying, but failing, to bring amusement to her voice. "So, are going to?" she asked after a moment of silence.

Harry looked over at her questioningly. "What?"

"Kill… kill Voldemort."

Harry looked away from her for nearly a minute. He stared at the opposite wall with an unreadable expression, and then at last, he looked back and stared Ginny straight in the eyes. "Yes Ginny, I am, and nothing is going to stand in my way!"

A/N: This story is almost finished, just a few more chapters left. Hope you're liking it. :)


	22. A Very Happy Christmas

_Christmas time at Grimmauld Place, some very unhappy news and Harry plans for his future._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Twenty-Two – A Very Happy Christmas

Grimmauld Place. Grimmauld Place at Christmas time was far from happy for Harry. He should have been ecstatic that he was getting away from Hogwarts for a little while, especially after the article. Harry had sat with his head in his hands as Hermione had read it to him. He didn't want to see the picture on the front page that some one had taken of him at the ball. He looked scary and dangerous, but powerful beyond imagining. The populace of Britain had seemed to praise him based on the picture alone, and all but a few hidden articles were announcing that he was going to be the savior of the Wizarding world, again. Not to mention his entire life story was printed in every newspaper and magazine across the country. Harry had just wanted to burry himself to get away from it all.

That had all changed when he had arrived a Grimmauld Place. There had been an order meeting just breaking up and the stares and comments that he had gotten had made him wish to be back at Hogwarts, even with his new gaggle of admirers. Dumbledore seemed not to know when to keep his mouth shut. Harry may have believed that he had deserved it, but most of the worse remarks had come from the elder Weasleys. Harry had stopped in the entrance hall and tried to take every comment with a mask of cold detachment, but even he couldn't hide that the scathing remarks hurt him.

"ENOUGH! Leave him alone! Don't you think Harry's suffered enough? Listen to you people. True, Harry made a really bad choice, but he's living with it. I think that's punishment enough," Ginny suddenly yelled and Harry looked at her in total surprise, as did everyone else. They all looked at her as if they'd never seen her before, as if she'd never really mattered before.

"It's alright Ginny, thank you, but everything they've said is true," Harry said quietly before he left the hall with his bag slung over his shoulder and headed for Sirius' bedroom. Ron followed quickly behind him.

"Harry, Dumbledore wanted us to keep sharing a room," Ron said hesitantly.

Harry kept walking. "Of Course he did." As he reached Sirius' room, Harry felt a heaviness settle on his heart and he knew that this was going to be the worse Christmas he would ever have.

By Christmas Eve, everyone seemed to be a little cheerier, but not Harry, if it were possible he was more upset then he had been in a really long time. Voldemort had killed nine families on Christmas Eve and Harry had been forced to watch. His link with Voldemort had finally returned, and Harry felt that he would never be alone again. He felt as if Voldemort could see everything he could, and to an extent, it was probably true.

It was three o'clock in the morning when Harry had finally been released from Voldemort's mind, and he hadn't yet gone back to sleep. By six, he had been up and dressed and had completed most of his homework that was given for over the break. Harry sat in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place alone, staring at the cold fireplace. He would have gotten up and lit it if he had thought that the warmth of the fire could help chase away the images of the night before.

Hermione, who had decided to stay with them for the holidays, came into the dark kitchen, spilling light in from the hallway. "Harry, are you alright?"

Harry turned his head towards her, he had tears streaming down his face and he felt that he was shaking as he tried to keep back sobs. "No," Harry managed to whispered.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione took the seat next him and wrapped her arms around him. Harry didn't pull away, instead he buried his face in her shoulder and let himself cry, just as he had done with his mum in his dream. He needed this comfort.

When Molly Weasley had come in a little while later, Harry had fallen asleep in Hermione's embrace. He had woken up at the sound of the door opening and now looked thoroughly embarrassed as he disentangle himself from Hermione. Molly took one look at Harry and turned from Weasley Mom to Order member in the blink of an eye.

"What's happened, Harry?"

Harry put his head in his hands, hiding his face. "Voldemort murdered nine families last night," he whispered after a few moments. His voice was just barely devoid of the emotions he felt. Hermione gasped beside him and Molly paled.

"Nine," she gasped and then ran to the kitchen door. "Authur, Remus! Come quickly!" Mr. Weasley came into the kitchen with Remus on his heals, less then a minute later.

"What's happened?" Mr. Weasley asked as he took in his wife, and then Harry and Hermione.

"Harry just told me 'You Know Who' murdered nine families last night," sobbed Mrs. Weasley.

Remus looked at Harry worriedly, "You saw this?"

Harry shot his head up. "Of course I saw it," Harry blurted angrily and then he put his head in his hands again. "I should have known what he'd do, but they were supposed to be safe." Harry looked back up with tears in his eyes. "God, Remus, I hated them, but they didn't deserve this. They were all the family I had left," Harry began to sob again and then Hermione's arms were around him again, and again Harry didn't pull away.

Authur Weasley was the first to break the silence that settled over all of them. "I'll be at the Ministry. Harry, I'm sorry," he said lightly before he left the kitchen, passing Ginny and Ron on the way.

Molly hugged both her children as they came in with worried faces. "The Dursley's were killed last night," she whispered softly.

After another long moment of silence, Harry moved away from Hermione with fire in his eyes. He got up from the table. "It's just another reason, in the long list of reasons why I have to kill him," Harry said as he moved out of the kitchen. He was done crying, all it was doing was proving to Riddle that he was weak.

Harry went back up to Sirius' room. He sat on the bed for a long time, just staring at himself in the mirror that hug on the back of his closed door. He had changed so much since the end of fifth year. His hair was past his shoulders, his eyes seemed greener, and his body was more defined. He was no longer the weak, scrawny kid that had once stared back at him. Harry's eyes suddenly darted to another door in the room. Harry had almost forgotten. He stood up to go to the closet when his door opened and Ginny came in.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot to knock," she whispered and then left the room, closing the door behind her. After a moment, there was a knock at the door and Harry suppressed a small smile.

"You can come in Ginny." Ginny came back in with uncertainty in her eyes and then she smiled when Harry gave her a small but sad smile. "Is there something you need Ginny?"

Ginny opened her mouth as if to say something but closed it again and shook her head. "I just thought you might want some company."

Harry looked out into the deserted hall behind her and then closed his door. He turned back to Ginny, slightly biting his lip. He needed to trust someone and everyone else he knew would go straight to Dumbledore. "Ginny, if I show you something, will you promise not to tell anyone?"

Ginny looked uncertain for a moment before she nodded. "Sure."

Harry walked to Sirius' closed, kicked the boxes that were piled up in front of it out of the way, and opened the door. Harry entered into Sirius' closet. He felt a little foolish, but said the password towards the back wall anyways. "Kreacher," Harry waited and waited and... nothing happened. Harry had expected a hidden room to be revealed or something. Harry scratched his head, and looked around on the floor... nothing. He turned to leave and that was when it hit him, literally. It fell from the ceiling and hit him on the head. Harry looked up to see a small trap door resealing itself. "Clever." He looked down at his feet. There it was, and Harry knew instantly what had been left for him, he had read all about it. Harry picked up the tiny object. It was no larger then an English pound, and silver in color, but it swirled with magic. Sadly, this was the answer to all of Harry's problems, and there was only one of them in the world.

Harry walked back out holding the pendant to his heart for a moment. Before he held it up for Ginny to see, he took a deep breath in and then let it out in a heavy sigh. "We learned about this in History of Magic third year, do you remember?"

Before Harry's question had barely started to leave his mouth, Ginny's fell open in utter shock. "H-Harry, that can't be," she shook her head. "Binns told us that all of them were destroyed on Ministry orders. It was one of the few classes that he got so many questions, that he dismissed us early so he wouldn't have to answer them all."

Harry quirked a small smile. He remembered when he had that lesson too, it had interested everyone so much that many, especially the Muggleborns, had gone to the library right after class, and begged Hermione to help them find out why the Ministry of Magic would destroy such a useful tool. Harry hadn't been overly interested, as he was at the time, worrying about being killed by Sirius. "It is what you think it is. It's one of the pendants from the Castitas Magus Project."

"We never did learn much about the project, except that the pendants could supposedly turn Muggles and squibs into Wizards. How did you get one?" Ginny asked.

"You didn't think that my parents did nothing for a living did you? My mum worked for the Department of Mysteries. Sirius told me last year, but I hadn't thought anything of it, as I'd never heard of it before at that point. I'd completely forgotten about it really, it only dawned on me this summer that Binns had read off the list of inventors in class, L. Evens was one of them, Lily Evens. My mum was one of the inventors and she gave one to Sirius. I suppose she knew that the ministry was going to destroy them," Harry shrugged. "Sirius left it for me, my mum left it for me."

"Ok, so say that is one of the pendants, why do you have it? Why would your mum leave it for you?" Ginny questioned.

"Turning Muggles and squibs into Wizards is not the only thing this can do. It's really, why they were destroyed. This takes pure magic and transfers it to someone else. All life has pure magic, just some have more then others. Obviously, Muggles and squibs have less and Wizards more, but we already know this. So what would happen if I took this and used it on Voldemort? What if I took all of his pure magic and transferred it to me? It'd leave him relatively powerless, he'd be no more then a squib, if less," Harry said excitement almost in his voice.

"But Harry, that'd kill you! No one can take that much pure magic into themselves, they'd burn up from the inside and die!" Ginny exclaimed with worry washing across her paling face.

Harry clenched his fist around the pendant. "I know, it's why I told you. I know that this is going to sound odd, but I promised my mum that I'd try and find another way to destroy Riddle, but he's just too powerful. I don't see any other way. If I take his pure magic, Dumbledore, anyone really, will be able to kill him."

"But Harry…" Ginny began tears coming into her eyes.

"I don't want to die, really I don't, but I'm thinking realistically Ginny. He's eventually going to succeed in killing me anyways. I might as well take him down with me," Harry stopped her protests. "There's another reason why I told you, and this is something that can not leave this room. Before I tell you, promise me that you will not tell anyone," Harry's voice dropped into an almost deadly whisper.

Ginny stared at him for several silent moments before she nodded. "I promise."

Harry sat down on his bed and looked up to the girl. "My parents found a way to harness Phoenix Song, somehow they were able to make me do it as well. I don't know how, but it's how I survived the Killing Curse as a baby, and then again during the attack on the castle. I guess my mum didn't have enough time to save herself when Voldemort came to kill me, but my dad did. Ginny, my father's alive, somewhere. Sirius told me in his will."

Ginny sat down on the bed in complete shock. "Alive, but all the articles, all the texts on your parents…"

"It's what everyone believes, but it's not true."

"And you haven't tried to find him?" Ginny suddenly asked.

"No, Sirius told me not to. He stayed away for a reason, and I respect that. I'm telling this to you because," Harry said in whispery voice. "After I die, I want you to try and find him. I'm going to leave a letter in my vault for him. I'll leave you access to it in my will. I want you to give him the letter for me, it's important."

Ginny looked at Harry with sad eyes. "I don't know why you want me too, but some how, however long it takes, I will find him for you, but Harry I don't want you to die."

Harry hugged Ginny and breathed out sadly, "I know, thank you."

Ginny pulled away after a while. "You know Harry, it's still Christmas, even though it's been a miserable one, we still have presents down stairs," Ginny said attempting to put a smile on her face.

Even though Ginny failed horribly at trying to make Harry happy, she did try and Harry smiled because of it. He brushed a stray lock of her dark red hair out of her eyes. "You always try to cheer me up, I don't deserve it, but thank you." Harry stood up and pocketing the pendant he had been holding in his fist, he grabbed Ginny's hand. "Come on, lets go open presents. It's Christmas and I want to be happy." Tears came to his eyes as he led Ginny out of his room and down to the drawing room that held a rather large and fat Christmas tree. All Harry was thinking was that this was probably going to be his last Christmas alive and he was determined to enjoy it.

When Harry and Ginny entered into the drawing room, it was to see that Mrs. Weasley, Ron, the twins, and Hermione were all sitting in a semi circle, in chairs that faced the Christmas tree. They all were looking rather forlorn. Harry plopped down in a chair, which was next to Ron and Hermione, Ginny sat in the one next to him. She was deep in her own thoughts just as everyone else was, but Harry took it upon himself to bring them all out of them.

"So, Ginny had this wonderful idea and I agree with her. This may be a very miserable day, but it's still Christmas, and I for one want to be happy. I'm opening my presents. Want to join," Harry's eyes didn't smile, but his mouth did, and that brought everyone around, that and his uplifting words. Harry didn't honestly care about any of the presents. He was happy just being with everyone. Harry found it ironic that just a couple of days ago, all he wanted was to be alone, and now he wouldn't trade his time with all of them for anything.

Ginny grabbed a present from under the tree and tossed it at Ron, and then another, which she handed to Hermione, and then more to Fred, George and Mrs. Weasley. She grabbed one and gave it to Harry, and then one for herself. "Well open you're presents everyone. I can't wait to see the lot I got," Ginny, even with the heavy burdened of Harry's secrets that she now held, plastered a smile of her face that brought every ones spirits up.

The rest of Christmas had gone about with a strained happiness, but Harry was content with it. He felt as if some weights had been lifted off his shoulders with sharing the last of his secrets with Ginny. Why he had picked her, he didn't really know, but out of all of his friends, she was the one person he felt closest to. She was smarter then everyone gave her credit for. She knew that he was turning dark, long before he realized, but she trusted him to handle it himself. Maybe she always knew that he would eventually pull himself out of it.

The Holiday went by fairly quickly, and it was the day before they were to return to Hogwarts, that Harry found himself standing in the entryway to Gringotts. He was wrapped in an overstuffed Muggle winter jacket with a nit black cap covering his hair and scar. He waited with his head low, as not to be noticed, in a rather large line. He was two people away from the goblin clerk when his mark started to tingle. Harry made sure his cap was low enough to hide his features. A Death Eater had just walked in.

Ginny was covering for him while he was away. He had decided that if he was going to follow through with his plans that he was going to need to make some major changes to his accounts, not to mention make out a will. Harry finally stepped up to the goblin. "I need to speak to someone about making adjustments to my account."

"Of course, wait over there someone will be along shortly."

Harry moved aside to a sitting area that the goblin had pointed to. He had barely had the chance to sit when a short, well-dressed goblin came out and motioned for Harry to follow him. They walked through several corridors in silence before they came to a door with a gold faceplate on it that held a name Harry wouldn't even try to pronounce. The goblin opened the door, bowed, and then left Harry in the room. Harry moved further into the room to find another goblin sitting behind a large desk.

"Welcome Mr. Potter, I was told that you were wanting to make adjustments to your accounts," the very business like goblin announced.

Harry sat down in one of the chairs across from the goblin. "Accounts, I have more then one?"

"Of course you do, most family lines as old as yours have several accounts," the goblin answered amusedly.

"Could I see information on all of them?" Harry asked.

"Yes, in fact, I think it's about time you see all of the information on everything that has been left to you, from one family member or another. I'm surprised you hadn't come in sooner," the goblin stated as he reached into a wooden filing cabinet behind him, and pulled out a think folder. "This holds information on everything that is in your accounts and everything that is linked to your accounts in someway."

Harry took the folder and opened it. It was neatly organized and even had a contents page. Harry's mouth literally dropped open when he read the amount that all six of his accounts were worth, total. "Is that number correct? T-that can't be true."

"Yes, Mr. Potter, you are a very rich young man, most wealthy in Britain, actually." Harry nearly dropped the folder in shock. "Of course that number includes the price on holdings, large companies, small businesses and the ample amount of stock that your grandfather kept."

Harry turned the page to see the holdings. One was the obvious, Grimmauld Place, which read unplotable next to it. Harry turned the next page that showed Godric's Hollow and next to it read destroyed. Again, Harry turned the next page, which showed a large regal looking mansion in a city, that Harry had never heard of before in France. He assumed it was Wizarding. This one read unoccupied. On the next page, there was what looked to be a small building that could have been half apartment and half shop. The label said that it was located in Heidelberg, Germany, and that it was currently occupied. Harry looked up from the folder.

"This one says it's occupied, do you know who by?" Harry asked.

The goblin took the folder and turned the page. "All it says is Mr. JH, and it says he's a Muggle and an uncle of yours. Interesting, I've dealt with you and your father's accounts for the entire time I've been employed here and I wasn't aware that your father had a brother."

Harry took back the folder, and smirked, he'd just located his father, he was sure of it. "He doesn't, perhaps the relationship was written incorrectly." Harry took another moment to glance through the rest of the information of his six accounts. He owned two large companies, three small businesses, one of which was located in Heidelberg, Germany, and huge amounts of stock in many companies that ran out of Diagon Alley and some in France. Of them, there was only one that Harry had any interest in at all.

Harry put the folder down. "Ok, I think I understand most of this. Here's what I need to do. I'm selling all of my stock, except for the Nimbus Company stock. I'd like to open another account, and close all of my others, except for the one directly under my name, so all I have are the two. The new account I'd like to have placed under the name Mr. JH, with allowing him access to it and myself. I want to transfer everything from Sirius Black's former account to mine and everything else from the other accounts into Mr. JH's account. And I'd like to make out a will."

The goblin had been jotting all of this down and nodded his head as Harry finished. "I'll have everything drawn up right away and everything transferred the second everything is signed."

Harry flipped back through the folder as the goblin disappeared to get the necessary paperwork. Harry had noticed that all of the accounts he owned were labeled as all having vaults here in the bank. There was his, Sirius', the Potter Family Vault, the Black Family Vault and then two unnamed vaults that had only numbers, 636 and 639, those were labeled for his businesses and his companies and each held millions of Galleons.

An hour later, Harry left the bank with a bit of a cramped hand but a satisfied smirk on his face. He had left a will divvying everything from his vault amongst the Weasley's, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and Remus. Neville and Luna he was giving smaller portions but he felt that they deserved something for following him into the Department of Mysteries. He left letters to each of them with personal messages. Ginny, he also left with the letter for his father and how to find him, now that he knew. The account and Vault that accompanied it, was left in his, his father's and Mr. JH's name, so who ever came to the bank, whether it was him, his father or his father in disguise as JH, could access the Vault.

Harry slipped back into Grimmauld place near an hour later, via an unsecured window, which had been the same way he had gotten out. Sirius really was a genius. There was an invisible, if not rickety ladder attached to the outside of his room, just below his window. The pendant, which he now had secured around his neck, hadn't been the only thing that Harry had found in the crawl space above Sirius' closet. After closer inspection, he had also found several books on Animagus and Human Transfiguration, and a map of Grimmauld Place, that was much like the Marauders Map, except without a password, and it highlighted magically concealed items all over the mansion. Hence, how Harry had found the ladder, and how Harry was able to know that Ginny was currently coming up the stairs to 'check on him,' as she was to be the first one to volunteer when, not if, Mrs. Weasley asked.

Harry opened his door just as she had gone to knock and pulled her in. Harry didn't know what had possessed him, but one minute he was pulling Ginny in by her robes and the next, he was kissing her, and she wasn't pulling away, or crying. Harry broke the kiss just as soon as his brain caught up to what he was doing and he took a step back. "I'm sorry, I don't…" Harry had been forced to stop talking as Ginny was now kissing him. Just as he was starting to enjoy himself, his logical sense caught up with him and he broke the kiss again. What was he doing, had he not just made out a will? "Ginny I'm sorry, I can't do this."

Ginny looked at him with raw disappointment and hurt in her eyes, before they softened to sadness and understanding. "I know," she whispered as she turned to leave Harry's room, stubbornly swiping at a tear as she closed the door behind her.

Harry sat down heavily on his bed and put his head in his hands, why did he always hurt the people that he cared about the most? Harry sighed out angrily, "Soon, soon it'll all be over."

A/N: Well maybe not such a happy Christmas, only a couple more chapters left. I hope you've enjoyed this story so far. :)


	23. To the Future!

_Harry finds himself living his life as best he can after the return to Hogwarts. A new prophecy gets thrown Harry's way; can't Trelawney just stop unraveling his future! Dumbledore is made privy to Harry's plans._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Twenty-Three - To The Future!

It was well into February and Harry sat on one of the beds in the Hospital Wing glancing out the frosted windows. He was waiting for Madam Pomfrey to finish up the now routine check up on his spine. She had insisted that if he were going to be playing Quidditch again that he had to be in perfect health first. Harry agreed with her, but this check up was pointless as he already knew he was fine.

Harry looked back at the medi witch and she gave him a skeptical look. "You've been exercising?"

"Yes, running," Harry answered honestly, why hide it? He was seen everyday. "And I started training again."

Madam Pomfrey shook her head dejectedly and breathed out in huff. "Harry I told you, no strenuous exercise until I say it was alright. It's been difficult enough healing you as it is. I don't want you to undo all that we have already healed. I still don't think that you realize how close you came to never being able to walk again."

"Madam Pomfrey, I do realize, but I haven't had any pain since the holidays. I can flex normally and I'm running faster and farther then I ever have before. Honestly, I feel fine, better really, since I started training again," Harry defended. "I don't want to stop my training, it's helping me, a lot. And I really would like to play Quidditch again," Harry added with almost a plea in his voice.

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and glared at him. "You've had no pain? In your back, in your legs; not even a twinge?" she questioned.

"Nothing, as I said, I feel fine."

Madam Pomfrey crossed her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes, she breathed out in a sigh. "Alright, you may continue with your training and Quidditch," Harry smiled and Madam Pomfrey smiled back before she pointed her finger at him. "But, if there is any pain at all, I want to hear of it, understood?"

"Yeah, yeah, of course," Harry nodded his head.

"Good, you may go. I'm sure Minerva is missing you in class right about now."

Harry thanked Madam Pomfrey overly much and left the Hospital Wing with his book bag swung over his shoulder. He was actually relatively happy this day, and he smiled as he walked the halls of Hogwarts. The last couple of months hadn't been fun for Harry. He had to learn that trust in him was rare, and that it was something that was going to take him a while to earn back. The Gryffindors had taken quite a while to warm up to him again, especially his dorm mates, but they had, slowly.

It had taken even longer for Ron to convince the rest of the Quidditch team that they needed him, especially because they had barely scrapped a win in the last game, and that was against Hufflepuff. Harry would be playing again for the first time in over two months, this weekend and he couldn't wait. Quidditch was the only joy he had left and nothing but death was going to stop him from playing, even if they didn't win.

The Slytherins for the most part left him alone, with the exception of a quick jab here or there, but nothing above normal. What really had surprised Harry was that none of the Death Eaters in the school bothered him at all, not even Malfoy. In fact, they steered clear of him whenever possible. It looked as if the young Death Eaters took his promise to kill Voldemort seriously, and they were determined to stay out of his way. Harry had to give them credit. This generation of Death Eaters seemed to be smarter, or at least seemed to have more self-preservation then the one before, and they were after all, just kids. Harry had gotten to know them and he couldn't blame them for their parents' decisions. Nott, was the only one Harry had seen a lot, that and occasionally Zabini. He couldn't say they were friends, but they didn't hate each other.

Harry was just reaching the Transfiguration corridor when he suddenly slumped against the wall in pain from his scar. He closed his eyes against the dizziness that now accompanied it and tried to ignore the images of death that washed over him with renewed vengeance. Harry took in a deep breath and pushed himself off the wall irritably, to continue walking to class. It wasn't that Harry didn't care what he saw, it was more that he wasn't letting himself care. He wasn't going to show Voldemort any of his weaknesses anymore.

To anyone else this wouldn't have been normal, but to Harry, it was just another regular occurrence. At first, the week after the holidays, when this had started, Harry had run to Dumbledore every time he had the disturbing visions. But after the second week or so, he had stopped even telling Dumbledore. It was sad, but he had realized and forced himself to except, that there was absolutely nothing that he could do about it. Harry rarely knew where the locations were and even when he did, by the time they could send help to the victims of Voldemort's attacks, it was too late and there was nothing but clean up left to do. So Harry tried to act as if he had never started getting the visions to begin with.

So Harry tried his best to shrug it off again, but died a little more inside as he did, and entered into the Transfiguration classroom after waving sadly to Tonks, who was his companion for the day. His companions was what Harry had taken to referring to the team of Order members that followed him. They were there to watch him when his friends couldn't, and they rarely showed themselves, but Harry always knew they were there. Harry wasn't so annoyed with them as he once thought he would be, it was kind of comforting to know that he wasn't alone, that someone was always watching his back. It made him feel like he didn't need to constantly keep looking over his shoulder for death.

Harry quietly took a seat in the back of the classroom, as not to disturb the rest of the class by his tardiness. He pulled out his quill and parchment and started copying down the notes as he half listened to what McGonagall was saying. She was talking about animagus and metamorphic transfigurations and Harry was choosing not to listen. He had started on his assignment for the day, and was so engulfed in it, that he didn't realize that McGonagall was standing over him saying his name, until she had repeated it five time and students were snickering around him.

Harry looked up at her apologetically. "Sorry."

"Finally back to earth Mr. Potter. May I see you in my office for a moment?" McGonagall said quietly but sternly.

Harry put down his quill and stood to follow his Head of House. He couldn't, for the life of him, figure out what this was about, but figured it might have something to do with him being late. He followed her across the hall and into her office where she motioned for him to take a seat. He sat in one of the chairs in front of her desk, as she took the one in back.

"I apologize for coming in late, I was seeing Madam Pomfrey," Harry began but McGonagall interrupted him.

"This isn't about your tardiness, I already knew about your appointment. What I wanted to speak to you about is your metamorphic abilities," McGonagall said plainly, as she looked down her nose at him, through her glasses.

"My metamorphic abilities, I don't know what your talking about," Harry lied and clenched his jaw, he hadn't right out lied to anyone since before the holidays.

"Harry, there is no need to lie about this, I've seen you practicing. What I don't understand is why you didn't tell me. I could be helping you improve your abilities. With my help, you could very well be a full-fledged Metamorphmagus by the end of the year," McGonagall stated somewhat excitedly.

Harry looked away from her. He had given up on his human transfiguration after he found out he wasn't an animagus, which he had really wanted to be. He figured that he was going to die anyways, and that he had better things to do with what time he had left. "It doesn't matter, I gave up on it."

"You gave up! Harry you have a real talent for this, you shouldn't just give up. A couple extra lessons a week and…"

Harry stood up abruptly and slapped his hands down on her desk angrily. "Look Professor, I don't care about my metamorphic abilities. It's a waste of my time and I'm not doing it anymore," Harry yelled and then breathed in deeply, and sat back down with his head in his hands. "I'm sorry Professor, I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm just tired. I wish that my fight with Voldemort was done with so I can finally rest, so I can finally have some peace."

McGonagall looked at him sadly and nodded in understanding, but she could never understand what Harry was feeling. He was on barrowed time, he knew it, but soon his time was going to come to an end, he just hoped that he had enough strength to destroy Voldemort before his time ran out. As much as Harry had resided himself to death, he really hadn't. There was still some sliver of hope that found it's way to shine through and tell him that he just might live through this. It was the same sliver that adamantly yelled that he did not want to die. But Harry's common sense told him otherwise and drowned out his voice of optimism.

A few days later Harry was walking with Hermione to the library, so that they could start on their potions essay. They were talking as they walked about how much better Professor Friedens was to Snape when Professor Trelawney, who rarely left her tower, came running around the corner, nearly knocking the two of them out of the way. She passed them as if not seeing them and continued down the hallway as if she was in a panic. Harry was just about to ask Hermione about what she supposed had gotten into her, when Trelawney stopped dead, and turned abruptly back around. She stared at the both of them with an intent expression. Harry stopped breathing when he heard her start to speak in a low hoarse tone that wasn't entirely her own, a tone that he had heard before.

"_Time will stopped and breath will be held and death will come swift to the one who fell_," As soon as Trelawney's prophetic voice stopped, she blinked a few times and look around her. "What am I doing…?" she shook her head, hissed irritably and then disappeared down the hall with a shrug of her shoulders, as if nothing had happened.

Hermione gaped for a moment "What on earth…? That old bat; I wonder if she's been into the special water again," Hermione said with a smile, before she turned to Harry who had gone sheet white. "Harry, are you alright?" she asked with a concerned note to her voice.

Harry was still looking down the hall unblinkingly when Hermione touched his arm, bring him out of his own thoughts. He looked down at her with fearful eyes that changed instantly to a stubborn resolve. "She just told me I'm going to die," he said simply before he readjusted his bag on his shoulder, and leaving Hermione, stormed off down the hall.

Hermione tried to follow him, but lost him as Harry sped up and ducked behind a mirror that blocked an old collapsed passageway out of Hogwarts. Harry watched her go by and was just about to leave when he caught a glimmer of light down the dark passageway. Harry fought against his curiosity, but his curiosity won out. He pulled out his wand.

"_Lumos_," he whispered as the tip was lit and the hidden corridor with it. The twins had said that the passageway was caved in so he had never checked to see where else it might lead. Harry started walking in the direction that he had seen the light. He walked quite a ways. As he got closer to it, he saw that it was coming from a hole in the wall that was just at eye level. Harry's curiosity again got the better of him and he extinguished his wand. "_Nox_," Harry whispered as he looked through the hole. To his surprise, he was staring down into the Headmasters Office. Any normal day and Harry would have thought that it was interesting and then moved on, but today, Luminous was standing in the office and yelling at Dumbledore. Harry could do nothing but watch and listen as the topic was about him.

"He can not be trusted Albus, as much as you wish him to be! Merlin's Diaries have on them a specific magic. They do not just leave a descendent of Merlin. They only do it if they feel that the descendent is unworthy or has been lost to the dark!" Luminous shouted and Harry wanted to shout back, to defend himself, but Dumbledore was already doing it for him.

"Harry has beaten back the darkness, he has truly changed Luminous. Just because the Diaries haven't returned to him, does not mean that he his dark," Dumbledore said calmly.

"Just like his father was not dark?" Luminous inquired with a scathing voice.

"James Potter has nothing to do with this, he made his choices and he paid dearly for them!" Dumbledore's anger came to the surface in a way that Harry rarely saw.

"The Diaries abandoned him too and also never returned. And then he switched secret keepers at the last second. Don't you find that a little odd. I don't, he wanted Voldemort to come. He knew Harry would survive, he counted on it!" Harry had never seen Luminous act so coldly before.

Dumbledore stood up from his seat abruptly. "Minister, James switched secret keepers on my orders. I did not trust Sirius as I should have, and it got him and Lily killed. James was never dark, just cruel, and I'm sorry that you and Severus got in the way of his bullying too many times. The matter of James Potter is closed as is the matter with his son."

"I'll be keeping an eye on him. I don't believe that we have seen the last of the Potter Family Darkness as much as you claim that it is gone. Good Day Headmaster, I do hope that you are correct in putting your trust in Harry," with that said, Luminous moved to the fireplace and left with an angry bellow of 'Ministry of Magic.'

Harry slumped against the wall. Luminous had always seemed as if he like him. Harry didn't understand where all of the animosity towards his family was coming from, and what had he meant by the Potter Family Darkness? As far as he knew, his family had always been regarded as on the side of the Light. Harry shook his head angrily, what did it matter? He was going to die anyways. Let them all believe what they wanted to. He'd show them all by destroying Voldemort's powers.

Harry had just gotten up to leave when he heard two familiar female voices come from the office. Harry sprang back to the wall and looked down at Hermione, Ron, and Ginny, both the girls, had tears in their eyes and Ron held a worried expression.

"Miss Weasley, Miss Granger, what is wrong?" Dumbledore asked with concern looking between the two emotional girls.

"Professor Trelawney had a vision," Hermione gasped out in a sob and Ron wrapped an arm around her. "She told Harry and me that Harry was going to die. I think he believes it."

There was silence for a few moments before Ginny spoke in a soft voice. "Harry is going to die."

"Miss Weasley, what makes you think so?" Dumbledore asked placing a hand on the girls shoulder.

Ginny wiped the tears out of her eyes and looked up to Dumbledore. "Harry's mother left him something. He showed me on Christmas. He plans on using it against Voldemort, but it will kill him," Ginny managed to hold her voice steady and Harry admired her strength, even as she was betraying his secret.

"What is it that Lily left him?" Dumbledore asked seriously as Ron and Hermione looked at Ginny incredulously.

"A pendant from the Castitas Magus Project; he plans on absorbing all of Riddle's Pure Magic into himself," she whispered and Hermione stifled a cry.

Dumbledore put his head in his hand and after a long moment, he looked back up to the three Gryffindors. "Where is Harry now?" Dumbledore asked.

"We don't know, I lost him somewhere on the fourth floor," Hermione said with a sniffle in her voice, but Harry was no longer on the fourth floor, or even in the hidden corridor, he was climbing the stairs into the Headmaster's office.

Harry didn't even knock as he came in and stared at Dumbledore. "Please except that my life is over. Once I do this, anyone will be able to kill Voldemort."

"Harry," Dumbledore began but Harry stopped him with a stubborn shake of his head.

"No. It's pointless for you to argue against this. I've already made up my mind." Harry looked up at the portraits, he wasn't sure if the portrait was even still there, as he had told Dumbledore a while ago about it. But he spoke to all of them in general, as he didn't know which one was linked to Voldemort. "Whichever one of you has the connection to Voldemort, tell him something for me. Tell him I'm going to stop him and that I hope death is swift for the both of us, not that we deserve such courtesy." Harry turned to leave but turned back to Dumbledore. "Tell Luminous I'm sorry and that the Potter Family Darkness is gone, whatever that is." Harry shook his head and started to leave again.

"Harry, where are you going?" asked Ginny.

Harry didn't stop walking. "To get something to clear my head and then I've got a potions essay to finish."

Harry walked with determination down to the dungeons, he needed a drink and nothing as diluted as butter beer. He turned down the corridor to the Slytherin common room and came to a stop at a section in the wall. They wouldn't have been stupid enough to leave the password the same but Harry didn't need a password as he had found out a while ago.

"_Open_," Harry hissed in Parseltongue and the door was revealed. Harry walked right in and grabbed the nearest Slytherin. "Where's Nott?"

"How did you get in here?" The fourth year asked none too politely.

"Part of me belongs here, where's Nott?" Harry asked again and this time the Slytherin pointed towards the dormitories.

"Thank you," Harry smiled and left the common room. Harry walked the ways down the hall and then opened the door to his old dorm and walked in. He slumped down on the bed beside Nott's. "I need a drink," he sighed.

Nott snorted and got up and walked over to one of the small cabinets that didn't belong in the dormitory. "Life getting too much for you again, Potter?"

"Death is getting too much for me," Harry answered dryly and accepted the mug of Firewhiskey. This wasn't the first time he had found himself doing this since the holidays. Harry held his mug up. "Cheers, to the future."

Nott shook his head and held up his own glass. "To the future, Potter, to the future," Nott repeated and Harry downed the glass without so much as a stop for breath.

Harry was going to have one hell of a headache in the morning, not to mention Nott and Zabini were going to have to help him back to Gryffindor later that night, but at least he could drown out his inner voice for one night. He was sick of hearing it cry, it only showed that he was weak and for what he was going to do, he couldn't be weak.

A/N: Two more chapters to go. :)


	24. Fallen Hero

_I'm not afraid anymore! I'm not afraid of the darkness that lurks outside of our world; I'm afraid of the darkness that lurks from within._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Twenty-Four – Fallen Hero

Harry sat staring blankly up at the bored in Defense class. His dreams from the night before had been his worst ever, he couldn't even pull himself out and Voldemort had just laughed as Harry had stood there with revulsion and loathing written across his face. Voldemort had been more active in the past month then ever before, and Harry was suffering for it. Harry hadn't given up, perhaps it was the Slytherin in him, but he made it a point to taunt Riddle every chance he got, just to appease Harry's suffering.

"Mr. Potter, class is over. I suggest you get your head out of the clouds and try to retain some of what you learned here today," Snape sneered from the front of the emptying classroom.

Harry ignored him as he packed up his belongings and left the classroom. Both Snape and Zabini had stopped spying on Voldemort after Harry's betrayal and it seemed that now Snape had nothing better to do with his extra time, then sulk around and berate students, especially him. But Harry shrugged the Professor's petty attempts at getting him riled, off, he had bigger problems to worry about. Such as him ever getting a decent nights sleep again. He was really starting to feel the effects from lack of it, and people around him were starting to notice his irritability as well.

Harry fell lazily into the crowds of Hogwarts as he made his way to lunch with everyone else. Dumbledore looked down at him from the head table as he entered the Great Hall, and Harry frowned as the Headmaster motioned him to come with him. Harry followed Dumbledore into the Great Hall's antechamber even as his friends asked him where he was going. Harry didn't even respond.

Dumbledore turned to Harry as soon as the door was closed behind them. "A Wizard identified you at an attack in Dublin early this morning. The ministry will be sending someone to question you tomorrow."

"In Dublin, that's where he was," Harry sighed and closed his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose, to ward away the headache that was forming. "I knew this was going to happen eventually. Obviously, I was not actually there, Professor. You can ask my dorm mates. I woke them up screaming this morning," Harry said with a slight edge to his voice. "I think Voldemort's getting better at projecting me. I almost felt as if I was actually there, and I couldn't wake myself up this time. He's found a way to hold me there," Harry said with growing resentment. "I just wish I could find him and put a stop to this now," Harry whispered in a dulled, tired voice.

Dumbledore put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I wish I could put a stop to this for you," Dumbledore sighed sadly. "Let your dorm mates know about the ministry official. I'll try to convince Luminous to send someone from the Order."

"Thank you Professor," Harry said lightly before he left. It was going to be another long day.

Early the next morning Harry sat in the Owlery with Hedwig on his knee as he looked out over the grounds of Hogwarts. Spring was coming to the land and the trees were full in the Forbidden Forest, as April settled in. Even the Whomping Willow seemed to be blooming a little early this year. Everything was sleeping and Harry stroked Hedwig's feathers lightly, enjoying the peace of the night that still lingered before the dawn. Harry had been sitting there with Hedwig since late the night before. He had decided that he wasn't going to even bother going to sleep if another night, like the one before, was going to greet him.

Harry hadn't gone back to Gryffindor Tower at all the previous day. He had blown up at Hermione and Ron's excessive questions regarding the ministry official, which was to be at Hogwarts later in the morning. Harry had just been to tired to deal with anyone for the rest of the day and had hid in the library for most of the rest of it. It probably hadn't been the smartest thing to do, but Harry had ditched Tonks before going to the Owlery to be with his one friend that never had any comments or questions for him, Hedwig.

Harry laid his head back against the cool stone of the window and closed his eyes against the darkness of night. Before he knew that he was even falling asleep he was dreaming, but for the first time all year this dream was peaceful, and he breathed evenly with a smile on his face as sleep truly washed over him.

_Harry opened his eyes to colors that he had rarely seen before. The sky was blue and the grass was green and the waters that stretched before him held the colors together, blending a radiance over everything. Harry sighed as the bright sun cast him in warmth. Ocean waves crashed far below him into the cliff face, and Harry breathed deeply in the fresh salty air. This was life, this was what he did not have, but craved more deeply then he ever had before. Harry laid in the cool grass and enjoyed the peacefulness of his surroundings and tried to remember why his life wasn't like this._

_Harry smiled as he saw a small village that was near a mile away, sitting in an alcove on the ocean. It held few houses as small villages do, but was awash with life and children played in the square that united the houses as a community. A childhood, Harry had never had that, but he was happy for the children that did and he hoped that they stayed children as long as they could._

"_Let them play, let them be happy, let them be unaware of the danger that lurks just outside of their world."_

_Harry stood up and turned around. He looked at the women that stood feet away from him. Harry didn't rush to her this time. he was just happy to see her. "Mum," Harry whispered._

"_Time will stopped and breath will be held and death will come swift to the one who fell. Don't believe all prophecies Harry, they're not always about you," Lily whispered._

"_No but they generally are," Harry whispered back and started to smile to her but fear radiated in her eyes and Harry knew he was about to wake up, not to his own consciousness, but to what the Dark Lord was doing._

_Harry breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was standing beside Riddle and he wore the robes of a Death Eater, but was missing the typical hood and mask. Harry turned to Voldemort and glared hate at him. "What do you want; for me to witness more death?"_

_Voldemort smiled cruelly. "No, I want you to kill the Minister of Magic," he said simply._

_Harry shook his head and laughed. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm no longer your servant. I don't do what you want."_

"_What are you afraid of Harry?" Voldemort hissed._

"_Not you."_

_The Dark Lord laughed, it almost seemed genuine. "Obviously you are not afraid of me, and it's odd, I don't think you ever have been. I will tell you what you are afraid of though. Darkness, Harry. Darkness that brings danger to your world, and those you care about within it."_

"_No, Tom. I was afraid, but I'm not afraid anymore! I'm not afraid of the darkness that lurks outside of our world," Harry answered honestly. "I'm afraid of the darkness that lurks from within; but that darkness is no longer there, and it will never control me again."_

_Voldemort hit Harry hard across the face with the back of his hand and Harry fell to the ground in shock and… pain. He had felt that, very much so. Harry touched the stone street with his hand and felt the coldness of it, and then he looked up to Voldemort with hatred in his eyes, somehow he was actually there. "Are you sure about that?" Voldemort spat as he drew his wand on Harry._

_Harry stood and tasted the blood from the corner of his split lip as he did. "Yes, I am," Harry said defiantly._

"_Very well, **Avada Kedavra**!" Voldemort threw the spell, and Harry just stood there unbelievingly, but as soon as he felt that is was real, he threw himself to the side, nearly catching tendrils of it at as he did._

_Harry stood up again and pointed his hand at Riddle, it would have been his wand if he had it. "I don't know how you got me here, but if you can kill me, I can kill you!"_

"_But will you? Will you risk unleashing the darkness within you to kill me Harry?" Voldemort said calmly. "The darkness you claim is no longer there."_

_Harry tightened his outstretched hand into a fist as anger built up within him. He had a chance to end this now. But what would happen to him? He didn't want to become the next dark lord._

"_Kill me Harry, I dare you," Voldemort spat._

_Harry opened his fist and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath in. He open his eyes and fire flashed within them. "Go to Hell Riddle! **Avada Kedavra**!" Harry released the spell but he was no longer standing in front of Voldemort but beside him, and his spell was shooting towards a stage erected in the middle of Diagon Alley. "No!" Harry screamed just as his off aimed Killing Curse hit the podium that the Minister of Magic was standing behind. The podium exploded in green flames, and Luminous had just managed to dodge to the side. _

_Harry just stood there stunned and with horror on his face, as Voldemort put a hand on his should. "Thank you Harry. It has been fun. Do say hello to the Dementors for me when they give you the kiss," Voldemort laughed evilly as Harry felt himself shoved back into consciousness._

Harry awoke sweating and breathing heavily. "It was just a dream," Harry whispered. "It was just a dream," he told himself again more resolutely. " i _It was just a dream… /i _" Harry wasn't so certain.

He looked around him. He was still in the Owlery but Hedwig was gone from the perch on his leg, probably sleeping in one of the alcoves above him, as the morning had settled well into the sky. Harry looked at his watch and noticed that he was late for breakfast, and would soon be late for class.

Harry looked out over the grounds of Hogwarts. It had to have been a dream, there was no way that he could have gotten all the way to Diagon Alley and back in just a few hours. Not to mention, that you can't Apparate through the wards at Hogwarts, especially the new ones, and he would have felt a portkey. Harry rubbed his eyes and got up from his spot at the window. _What if Voldemort had become powerful enough as to make him actually be in two places at once?_ This frightened Harry too much to even contemplate as he left the Owlery.

If he hurried with a shower, he might be able to make the start of class. Harry nearly ran through the school to get back to the dormitories, and he wasn't surprised when he didn't meet anyone on the way. He was also glad. His dream had really shaken him. _It had to have been a dream_. Until he had woken up some more with a shower, he didn't want to see anyone.

After his longer then necessary shower, Harry was just finishing getting dressed when Ron came bursting into the dormitory. "Harry, where have you been?" asked Ron almost immediately upon seeing him.

Harry shrugged. "I fell asleep in the Owlery," Harry shook his head. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"There was an attack in Diagon Alley this morning, the Minister was almost killed!" Ron blurted and Harry paled considerably, his dream had to have been coincidence.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked hoping that it wasn't true, that his dream was just a dream.

"Yeah, classes were cancelled this morning. Hermione and I were sent to get anyone from Gryffindor who didn't turn up at breakfast and bring them to the Great Hall. Dumbledore's going to make a general announcement to everyone. A lot of people were killed," Ron had gone a little pail at the last words.

Harry put a hand on Ron's shoulder. "I'm sure your brothers are fine, they're not ones for early risers."

Ron gave Harry a halfhearted smile. "Yeah, well come on, you're the last person left. Hermione's probably already got everyone down there." Harry hesitated before he followed Ron. If he didn't go, it'd make him look guilty and maybe no one would have identified him anyways, if his dream was real.

A short while later Harry took a seat in between Ron and Hermione, at the Gryffindor table. He looked across the table at Ginny, who held the same anxious expression as Ron. Dumbledore wasn't at the head table with the other professors and that worried Harry. He chewed on the side of his lip and that was when he realized that there was dry blood there and he knew that his dream was real, it was right where Voldemort had hit him. But it couldn't be possible.

Harry breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. Seven people had just entered into the Great Hall. Five of them were Aurors, who wore red and white robes that held the insignia of the Ministry. The other two were Dumbledore and Luminous who had expressions that clearly showed that they weren't happy.

Harry opened his eyes and look at Ginny intently. "Ginny, I wanted to kill Tom," Harry whispered and his three friends looked at him with shocked expressions. "All I wanted was to kill Tom Riddle," he repeated a little louder and stood from the table and took out his wand as he backed away, "please believe me, he tricked me," Harry said in a panicked voice.

"Harry what…?" Ginny began.

"Harry what are you doing?" Hermione screeched.

Harry clutched his wand, he didn't know what he was going to do, but he wouldn't be arrested. "What I have to."

"Mr. Potter, drop your wand, now," Kingsley Shacklebolt called and leveled his wand on Harry, as they all approached. There was many gasps from the students and some of them had even stood to get a better view, it seemed especially the Slytherins.

Harry leveled his wand right back. "No!" he said stubbornly, but just as he said it, his wand slipped out of his hand and soared into Dumbledore's. Harry somehow knew he would do that.

"Harry, you have no place to go," Dumbledore said calmly but the anger in his voice was evident.

If being dark, even for a short time had taught Harry anything, it was how to act and be very patient. Really, Harry did have no place to go, but he wasn't going to give up, he couldn't. Harry dropped his head as if in defeat. "You're right," he whispered. Just as Kingsley and two other Aurors came up to him, and grabbed him by both arms. Harry sprang into action with reflexes and instincts born from his training. It took less then four seconds for Harry to have the two Aurors on his right incapacitated and unconscious, and two seconds after that, for himself to be pinned to the wall by Kingsley and the other two Aurors. He underestimated them. "Alright," Harry said through clenched teeth as his arm was being twisted into a most uncomfortable position behind his back.

"Harry Potter, you are under arrest for willingly serving the Dark Lord Voldemort and for treason against the British Ministry of Magic," Luminous said as he stepped up, just as Harry was being pulled away from the wall. "Because there were over a dozen eye witnesses, including myself, you will be sent directly to Azkaban Prison where you will receive the Dementor's Kiss, without trial," Luminous' words were angry but his eyes held immeasurable sadness.

The words, Dementor's Kiss, echoed in Harry's mind and he closed his eyes and then he started to laugh. This was exactly what Voldemort wanted. Well he wasn't going to get what he wanted. Everyone always underestimated him. Before he hadn't wanted to seriously hurt anyone, but now he had no choice. Harry stopped laughing and opened his eyes. Patience, the first rule in Merlin's Diaries, he needed them closer. "I don't serve Voldemort!" Harry spat at Luminous.

"Really?" asked Luminous with anger in his voice. He grabbed onto Harry left arm and tore back the sleeve, revealing the Dark Mark. Of course, there were many gasps at seeing it on the arm of the 'boy who lived.' Not that there hadn't been gasps or cries of outrage when Harry had been sentenced to the Dementor's Kiss, it was just drowned out by the shock. "Then why do you possess his mark?"

"Thought it was cool looking," Harry spat sarcastically as he tapped into Merlin's powers, it was his only way out. "Sorry Kingsley this may hurt, just a little," Harry whispered and concentrated ever so slightly. Everyone who was directly around him was thrown off their feet and away from him. Others felt a hard shove as a pale yellow ring of light shot out around Harry. Harry didn't bother looking to see if he had seriously hurt anyone, he was too busy staring at Luminous who had only been forced back several feet, he was the real threat now.

Dumbledore had also stayed on his feet and was approaching him. "Harry do not make this harder on yourself," Dumbledore said calmly but forcefully.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but no one's going to stop me from doing what I have to do," Harry said and he advanced on the two of them. "Stop this and let me go before I do something we'll all regret."

"You've already done something to regret," Luminous started to call on Merlin's magic, but Harry was now the master of it and saw this and he shook his head sadly.

"Don't. Don't make me use Merlin's magic against you, Luminous," Harry whispered just as Luminous was forming a small ball of blue fire in his hand. The students in the Great Hall had abandoned their seats and backed away at this. No one knew that the minister was so powerful. "Please don't," Harry pleaded with his eyes but Luminous wasn't going to be swayed and he sent the ball of fire at him.

To the surprise of everyone Harry caught it and threw is back at the Minister who had just managed to make it dissipate before it hit him. Harry noted that the Aurors, now in back of him, were getting to their feet and the Professors were starting to advance on him as well. They were caging him in. Harry didn't like being caged. He smiled to Dumbledore sadly before he called his wand back to him effortlessly.

"Harry, stop this, please!" Dumbledore shouted.

"I'm sorry Professor, I really am. I never wanted this to happen. But you leave me no choice." Harry pocketed his wand and turned away from the man at the same time as sending up a shield that stopped their advances. Harry sent another wave of power but much stronger then the last and students who were standing were knocked off their feet as well as the Professors and Aurors. Harry didn't care.

That was when Harry started running, there were too many people blocking the entry way but there was no one at the windows. Harry was going to create his own way out. He just hoped that his broom got there in time. He moved swiftly in the direction of the head table. Several wands were raised at Harry but no one fired any spells as they were too shocked to see Harry fire three blasting curses at one of the large glass windows and dive through as the shattered glass rained down around him.

"Harry!" Ginny screamed just as he caught air and then his summoned broom with one hand. He hung there for a second with relief, and then pulled himself up onto his broom with a little bit of effort. Harry looked back through the destroyed window as glass still fell out of it.

There he saw a world he once belonged to, but his time was over and it was time to deal with Voldemort once and for all. And for once, Harry felt that he could do it, he was powerful enough. Harry looked to his friends. Ron was helping Hermione to her feet and Ginny was being held back by Neville. He'd never see them again.

Harry waved, he didn't know what else to do as he started to fly away. As Harry left the castle that was once his home, he had to smile and roll his eyes. Of all the things to hear as he left his world behind, 'Cheeky Bastard,' out of the mouth of Severus Snape, was the furthest from his imagining. The man always had to have the last word, didn't he?

Harry flew throughout the day, doing as little magic as possible, so that they couldn't trace him as easily. He wondered as he flew, looking over his shoulder occasionally, when Hermione would remember the tracking charm that she had stuck on him months ago. It was well into the night, before he decided to finally land. He hadn't wanted to risk getting caught by landing sooner. Harry had a feeling that he knew where Slytherin Manor was, as if he'd seen it from the outside before, but he couldn't put his finger on it. So Harry flew in one constant direction until he was too tired to continue and landed outside of a small village. A village that looked awfully familiar.

Harry walked into the sleepy village square and then he knew where he was, it was the village from his dream. Harry looked around him and remembered the children at play here. But Harry was certain that hadn't been real. He sat down on the edge of the large fountain that rested in the middle of the quiet square. He looked up at the star swept sky and the moon that was just setting, soon to be replaced by the sun. Harry shrunk down to the ground and put his head in his arms and there he fell asleep, clutching at his broom and his wand hidden under his right sleeve.

It was full morning when Harry was woken up by a little black dog licking his face. Harry ruffled the fir on the dogs head before he noticed the boy staring at him. "Umm, hello," Harry said staring back at the small brown haired boy.

"Hey mister, I was wondering when you were going to wake up. My dogs been licking your face for over five minutes," the kid said with a light Scottish accent.

"Um, yeah, must have fallen asleep," Harry said more to himself as he stretched.

"Is that a Firebolt!" the kid suddenly exclaimed and Harry instantly became more awake.

"You're a Wizard?"

"Well, yeah. I least, I will be after I go to Hogwarts in the fall, and then I can actually use magic. My friends and I try to get away with the little things, but our parents always catch us. They ruin all the fun," the boy pouted.

"Are all your friends Wizards?" Harry asked as he rolled a kink out of his shoulders.

"Of course, there aren't Muggles around here. This is a Wizarding village. Don't you know where you are?"

Harry shook his head. "Not really, no. I'm guessing Scotland."

The boy rolled his eyes. "Well your right about that. You're in the Rhinns of Galloway, nearest Muggle town is a few miles that way, if you were wondering," the boy announced and pointed over his shoulder back the way Harry had come from, more inland.

Harry stood up and looked around him for the first time. There was ocean for miles, and green grass as far as he could see. Harry looked up the coast and there was the cliffs from his dream, what appeared to be a near mile away, and that was where Harry felt as if he should be.

Harry looked back down to the kid. "Thanks for telling me where I'm at." Harry held out his Firebolt to the kid. "I'm not going to need this anymore, could you take care of it for me?"

The boy's mouth fell open as he excepted the broom and then his eyes widened and his mouth fell open even further, as he looked up into Harry's face and noticed his scar. "You're Harry Potter!"

"Last time I check, I'm pretty sure I was," Harry said quietly as he looked around him. He was surprised they hadn't found him yet, but the village may have been blocking the tracking charm. "Look, take care of my broom, I've got to go, there's a bunch of people looking for me and not all of them are good," Harry said with a bit of sigh.

"I'll take good care of your broom if you do something for me," the boy blurted.

"And what's that?" Harry asked.

"Defeat Voldemort for me, he killed my dad."

This time it was Harry's turn for his mouth drop in surprise at the kid's sharp voice. "That kid, is something I'll promise," Harry said with resolve. He wasn't going to kill him, but he'd certainly defeat him. "By the way, you said his name."

"Why fear his name when I don't fear him. He's just a bloody cowered with too much power!" the boy said with fire in his eyes. The kid was smarter then he looked, and Harry could see a strong Gryffindor spirit him.

Harry smiled. "Yeah, yeah he is, and I'm going to take it away from him," Harry said with determination. Harry then said good-bye to the boy and his dog and set off in the direction of the cliffs. Today it would end, he'd make sure of it, and then he could rest.

A/N: Last chapter is up next and then onward to the sequel. :)


	25. And Life Goes On

_A battle to the end; but who really wins? Parting words._

A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.

Chapter Twenty-Five – And Life Goes On

Harry Potter looked out over the ocean and felt at peace. Here he would die, but here he would live on. No one had ever attempted what Harry was about to do. This day's story would no doubt be told for generations to come, at least if everything went as planned.

Harry knew she was there before she spoke. His best friend had come to take him back, but he would never be going back. Harry breathed out heavily. "Don't even try Hermione," Harry said as he turned around to face the witch who still held the glowing stone that had brought her to him and that would soon bring the Order and Aurors, but Harry wasn't worried about them. They were practically standing on top of Slytherin Manor, it just couldn't be seen. But Harry could see it and soon they would see him. Voldemort would see him.

"Harry please stop this, come back with me. The Aurors are prepared to kill you," wind lashed at her hair and carried her shaky voice loudly across the grassy clearing.

"I'm already dead Hermione, I just don't know yet," Harry whispered, "Please leave. I don't want you to get hurt; I don't want to hurt you."

Hermione leveled her wand on him. "I'll stop you myself if I have to, Harry!"

Harry suddenly threw a curse at Hermione's feet and she jumped to the side with her eyes wide, as the curse sizzled the ground. "I said leave!" Harry threw another curse at her, missing intentionally, and another.

"Harry wait, stop, I'm trying to help you!" Hermione cried, but still kept her wand pointed at him, she was too brave for her own good.

"Why Hermione, I don't need help! Besides, I think you've helped enough. Do you really think the Aurors and the Order will have time to locate me before Voldemort does?" Harry forced himself to laughed at Hermione's surprised face. "Oh yes Hermione, I know about the tracking charm that you tagged me with. How could I not, you were so obvious about it. Do you really think I'm that dumb?" Harry laughed again as he mocked his friend. It pained him to be doing this, but little spells weren't going to scare her off. "_Crucio_!" Harry threw the unforgivable curse at her effortlessly, but she dodged, not that Harry had been aiming to hit her. Even if it had, it probably wouldn't have worked, he didn't have enough hate necessary, and he didn't want to hurt her.

"Harry please stop! Don't make me curse you!" Hermione screamed as she dodged another of Harry's off aimed curses.

Harry stopped throwing spells and started laughing, what he really wanted to do was cry. "Curse me, with what, the Leg Locker Hex? Oh, better yet the Tickle-Me Jinx. Or maybe you'll just disarm me with _Expelliarmus_!" Harry aimed this spell, Hermione was knocked off her feet, and her wand soared into Harry's hand with his silent summoning charm. "I'm sorry Hermione, really I am, but I can't go back, and you have to get out of here now!"

There were over a dozen 'pops' from the area as Aurors and Order members Apparated into Harry's line of sight. Harry threw Hermione's wand back to her and slowly backed away, not out of fear, but to lure them closer, so Hermione was being covered by them. The Death Eaters were on their way. He just prayed his friend would have enough sense to stay out of the way. Harry watched every wand that turned on him, and paced back and forth like a cornered tiger. Harry's senses and mark alerted him and he moved quickly to avoid a curse from behind that shot over the head of one of the Aurors.

Harry spun around with a maddening glint in his eyes. "Lucius, here to kill me again; haven't you learned anything? You can't kill me!" Harry raised a very strong shield as he shouted this, it wouldn't do for him to get killed before Voldemort arrived.

Harry ran as curses started flying in his direction. The Auror's and the Order's less powerful, nearly pathetic, spells bounced off his shield as he dodged the Killing Curses and Cruciatus Curses thrown at him from the Death Eaters. If he didn't know better, he'd think that the two sides were working together for the common good of getting rid of him, that wasn't exactly what he'd planned.

Harry threw his own volley of curses, the more powerful Merlin style at the Death Eaters, and the stunners and disarming charms at the Aurors and the Order. Harry sent a Petrifaction Charm at Hermione who was trying to stun him while being blocked by the Order. She dodged and then revived Tonks who had been hit instead. She really was a remarkable witch.

Harry tumbled and rolled to avoid another bout of Cruciatus from Lucius Malfoy, at the same time, he took out two more Death Eaters, bringing his count to nine that were either unconscious or dead. He landed on his feet several yards to his right, leaving the area between the two sides open and the cliffs to his back, not a good position.

Harry then fell to his knees and screamed out as pain exploded in his scar. It was what he had been waiting for, but he was as always totally unprepared for it. The projection of the Dark Lord appeared before him and everything went silent throughout the clearing. Harry shot his head up from his hands, blood trickled from his scar into his eyes but Harry just wiped it away. "I did everything you wanted; I betrayed all those who trusted me, everyone I ever loved. Why won't you leave me alone?" Harry screamed at the projection, but underneath his façade, he was calm and his mind was working furiously to break the connection with Voldemort, he could not be connected with him when he used the pendant.

"Because Potter, a prophecy demands that I destroy you before you can destroy me. Lucius stop playing around and kill him!" Voldemort demanded.

"Why don't you kill me yourself?" Harry yelled as he just managed to jumped to the side as the Killing Curse flew through the projection of Voldemort. It whizzed past his ear, a little too close for comfort. He was going to die, but it would be by his own terms. Harry backed away towards the edge of the cliff, so close to the edge that disturbed dirt and rock fell under his feet into the churning ocean far below. Harry looked down into the dark waters just as his mind finally found the link. 'Thank you,' Harry thought, as his head snapped up and a smile came to his lips, a genuine smile. It was finally going to be over; Dumbledore could do the rest.

Harry sent a pulse of pure magic through the link and it snapped, permanently. Harry fell back down to his knees and grasped his hand around the pendant that hung from his neck. The image of Voldemort faded and then there was a crack and the real Voldemort appeared in the place of the projection.

"What did you do!" demanded the Dark Lord as he raised his wand at Harry.

"Hardly anything compared to what I'm going to do!" Harry screamed and pulled the pendant from his neck. He didn't have to concentrate hard, but he did have a moment of hesitation. This was going to kill him, he knew it and he excepted it, but deep down he still didn't want to die.

Harry grabbed hold of his own pure magic and pushed it into the power of the pendant. The pendant left his hand and then a beam of clear purple shot out of both sides of it. One connected to him and the other connected to Voldemort. That was the easy part and Harry was already shaking with the effort of keeping Voldemort from breaking the connection.

He took a deep breath in as an invisible hand grabbed hold of Voldemort's power and Harry yanked it back within himself, like pulling on a rope. Harry felt more then saw the pure magic rush at him from the beam. It hit him and he felt it absorb into him, but then something happened that was unexpected, very unexpected, and Harry nearly broke the connection himself. Along with taking Voldemort's pure magic, it also took part of Voldemort, the part of Voldemort that was still human, and it slammed into Harry without any warning. Harry staggered to his feet, overwhelmed with pain and surprise etched into his face. Harry looked Voldemort straight in the eyes, but Tom Riddle no longer existed there, as he felt himself dying inside. The only thing left was a darkness, worse then what had controlled Harry.

A calm came over him as the rest of the pure magic Tom Riddle ever possessed bonded with him. Harry's voice was barely above a whisper, but he spoke his words forcefully. "We're dead now Tom, we killed each other." Harry wasn't speaking to the Dark Lord in front of him.

Voldemort fell to his knees. "What did you do? What did you do!" he screamed. Voldemort's voice held fear as he raised his wand at Harry.

Harry looked back towards the ocean. And then panic clutched at him. Harry took in his last breath with fear in his eyes. "I don't want to die," Harry breathed for the last time and fell, but nothing caught him and all air left his lungs. Darkness claimed him far before his body plunged into the icy ocean far below.

One voice rang throughout the clearing and that was Hermione's cry. It had been ten minutes since Harry had fallen over the cliff, ten minutes since the world had lost a Hero and ten minutes since Hermione had lost her best friend in the world. Voldemort and all the Death Eaters had vanished. Not that Hermione had noticed, nor did she notice that Voldemort hadn't Apparated on his own; but she would, much later. Now though, Hermione stood in the same spot that she had been in ten minutes ago, Tonks still by her side.

Many had rushed to the edge of the cliff as soon as the Death Eaters had disappeared, but none saw the boy who once lived as he had already been swept under the dark water's surface. Tonks stifled a cry as Kingsley nodded his head, Harry Potter was gone.

Hermione fell to her knees then, and tears came to her eyes. Now she understood why Harry had wanted her to go. Hermione looked up to Tonks. "He knew, he knew what he was doing, he knew he was going to die," Hermione broke down in sobs then tears streaming down her face. Harry was really gone, her best friend was really gone. She didn't need the long hours of searching for him that would follow, nor the confirmation from Gringotts, twenty-four hours later, to know this. Life for her would never be the same.

It would still be forty-two hours before the wizarding populace of Britain would hear of what Harry had done, and minutes after that, the world. But it was only twenty-four before Gringotts sent out the official signed letter to Albus Dumbledore. It was Harry's will and confirmation of death. That was when the Headmaster and the Minister finally called off the search. Harry Potter was dead and there was nothing more they could do for the boy who was forced to be a man, far too early.

Dumbledore sat at his desk, an old, tired man with a broken spirit. He stared at nothing as the people settled in around him. He hadn't been there when Harry died, he and Luminous had gotten there moments too late to try and save him. He wasn't positive that they could have, but he still wished that he could have had the opportunity to try.

All the relative people were called to the Headmaster's office, the rest of the school was still at a very solemn feast, a feast that would start the real story of Harry Potter. It started as whispers, but soon grew. Eight young Death Eaters confirmed it, and the news spread like wildfire. Voldemort, the Dark Lord, was completely incapacitated, he couldn't even do a simple summoning spell and his Death Eaters were turning away from him left and right. No one feared him anymore. Not that five students, and the entire staff of Hogwarts would hear about this until later that night.

Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna were all sitting next to each other in the Headmaster's office. All of the Weasley's were sitting around them as were Order members and the staff of Hogwarts, even Snape was there.

Dumbledore finally focused on everyone and then he noticed that Luminous stood against the wall by the fireplace, having just come in. In front of Dumbledore was a pensive, not just any pensive, Harry's. He looked around at everyone before he spoke in calm but broken voice. "This afternoon, Gringotts confirmed Harry's death," Dumbledore spoke quietly and there were several quiet sobs from those who had still held onto hope. "Harry managed to make out a will, I'm not entirely certain how. It was sent here to be read and all of you were requested to be here. But before I read it, Harry left us a message." Dumbledore waved his hand over the pensive and Harry floated out of it slowly, to stand next to the pensive.

The small clone of Harry took in a deep breath and looked around the room as if he was actually there looking at everyone. He cleared his throat and began.

"_To most of you, my death and actions leading up to it, will come as a shock, I'm sure. But to some of you, it was just a matter of waiting. I knew I was going to die the second I defied Lord Voldemort, I just didn't know when or how. If I am correct and my plan worked, Voldemort should be powerless, or at least near to it. Professor Dumbledore knows of the specifics of how I accomplished this. But mainly what I did was I took Voldemort's pure magic and absorbed it into myself, all of it. He shouldn't even be able to cast a simple Accio, I pretty much made him into a squib, if he has that much magic left. Please someone make sure of this, I don't want my death to be for nothing._

"_I am sorry that I had to leave all of you. I never wanted to, but fate demanded my death and I couldn't turn away from it. I got this pensive this summer. At first, I thought the bloody thing was broken, as it wouldn't store memories, at least anything, I wanted it to store; it was very frustrating. Then I realized what it was for, it wasn't to store my memories at all, but parts of myself. So I took the parts that I wanted everyone to remember most. Please don't remember me from my actions. I did some terrible things and I won't deny that. But it wasn't me, the real me, who did those things._

"_Anyways, Professor Dumbledore should have my written will, which will include what I am about to say in more detail, but I wanted you all to hear it from me. First off, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Remus, Fred, George, Neville and Luna, I have left you each a letter. In that letter there is a bank invoice detailing what each of you will receive from my vault at Gringotts. Apparently, and Ron don't get a big head, between my father and my grandfather, I am one of the richest people in Britain. I had several other vaults that I didn't even know about, each worth millions of Galleons. You'll probably wonder what has happened to most of it, as only a small, yet rather large portion, will be given to all of you, which is non-negotiable, you can do with it what you want, but you have to take it. I'm having the rest donated to charities, as well as for research for the Department of Mysteries and Saint Mungo's Hospital, some is also going to Hogwarts."_

The Projection of Harry pause here and looked up as if looking at Dumbledore. Everyone was silent while Dumbledore passed letters around to everyone mentioned. Dumbledore then went back to his desk and sat down. Harry continued after that.

"_Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, the two of you were the parents I never had. You welcomed me into your home and into your lives as if I was one of your own, and I will always appreciate and love you as if I was your son. You and your family never treated me like I was the boy who lived, but as an actual person and I am grateful for that. Do not be two shocked at what you see on your invoice, remember that some of this was Sirius' as well. You deserve all of it and more. Do with it what you wish, but use it well._

"_Fred and George, my brothers in mischief. Take this money, the Marauders Map and Sirius' map of Grimmauld Place, and start a franchise. The directions for making the maps is all there with your invoice. Sirius' map can be found in Sirius' closet, the password is Kreacher, don't ask, and Professor Dumbledore has the Marauder's Map. They'll make excellent products for your joke shop and it is my hope that they will drive the staff of Hogwarts mad. The two of you have always brought a smile to my face and you allowed me access to places in the castle that even you wouldn't believe. Keep up with the jokes, everyone needs to laugh once and a while._

"_Remus, the day that you had nearly died, I realized for the first time how much you meant to me. You weren't just my father's friend, or my professor anymore, you were my friend. There were things my father never told you or even Sirius I suspect. One of those things was that of him being the Heir of Merlin. I don't know how far in the books he got before they left him, but I got far enough to find a few useful things. Unfortunately, I was not able to pass this knowledge on, but Professor Snape now has in his possession a potions book. It was the only one Merlin ever made. There is, on page 93, a potion, a cure for Lycanthropy. I don't know if it works, but if you and Professor Snape work together, you may be able to build the cure. You now have a huge amount of funding, all you have to do is put your differences aside for a little while. I love you Remus and I hope everything works out well for you._

"_Ron and Hermione, the two of you were my best friends and were like a brother and sister to me. You have always been there when I need you, even when I didn't know that I needed you. We have had so many adventure and gone through so much, but this year has been horrible for all of us and I apologize for that. I do not deserve your friendship but I am grateful for it. Memories of the two of you helped bring me back out the dark magic, it helped me fight something that had complete control over me. I don't think that I would have ever come back if it hadn't been for your friendship. I love you both and I will miss you so much._

"_Ginny, my real words to you are in your letter, those are for you only. You are the only one who really knows what I've been going through. Though, I doubt that anyone really sees that. Your life was changed by Tom Riddle, just as mine was. You were also made to do things that you did not want to do but had no control of. Don't let everyone treat you like you are a shadow, you are meant to do great things in this world. Do what you have always done and look past the darkness and see what is really there. You did that for me, you trusted me, and for that, I will always trust you. I love you Ginny Weasley and I always will._

"_Neville and Luna, I'm giving you this money because you followed me to the Department of Ministries even not knowing what you were getting yourselves into. You were great friends and I'll miss our times together. Luna in your letter you will find details about what I did to bring down Voldemort and reasons and such, you are welcome to print the first article in the quibbler. I want the truth out there, and I know I won't get it with the Prophet, which will be finding themselves horribly under funded soon as my business accounts will no longer be giving them money. Neville I was glad that you were there when I woke up in the hospital wing, I was not ready to see anyone else. Don't let anyone ever tell you that you are not brave or smart, you are all of the above. I have shared a dorm with you for so long and I have seen you grow into someone that I know your parents would be proud of. I hope one day a cure can be found for them as you deserve, more then anyone, to have them in your life._

"_Professor McGonagall, what I said about giving up on becoming a Metamorphmagus was not an entire truth. I wanted more then anything to follow in my father's footsteps and become an Animagus, but it wasn't meant to be. However, I didn't give up solely because of that. I knew I was going to die as far back as Christmas and I didn't see the need to continue on with it. However, I did and I managed to be able to change my face and hair by that weeks end. I wasn't able to change my eye color, but given more time, I probably would have mastered that as well. Thanks for telling me not to give up and thanks for believing in me. I'm sure I would have made a great Auror._

"_Snape, Professor Snape, I know we never got along, but I have to apologize to you. I could have gotten you killed and I'm sorry for that. Yes, I do and can feel guilt, but do not mistake that for pity. You and my father never got along, and understand why, I really do, but you took that out on me for no reason. I will not lie to you, I hated you, more then anyone, but what I said to you this summer wasn't called for and I deserved what you did to me. Though I was fairly much absorbed in dark magic, I do remember what you told Voldemort before he Obliviate you. You said that you would always remain loyal to Albus Dumbledore even though it could have gotten you killed, and that is what makes me trust you. I just hope that everyone sees that same trust. Please work with Remus, if you can make the cure work, you may just become the most famous potions master in the word. I'm sure you'd like that. By the way, I haven't forgotten your threat to me about when I found out about Professor Friedens. As I'm already gone and I don't think much worse can be done to me, I feel as if I shouldn't keep this secret anymore, I just can't. Professor Lyndira Friedens I think you should call yourself Professor Lyndira Snape… oh how dreary that sounds, on second thought keep your name, I'm sure everyone doesn't need two Professor Snape's running around Hogwarts, that might scare the students a little too much._

"_Tonks, I have to say and don't take this too horribly, as I noticed everyone else as well. By the way, Moody you make a great statue of Armor. I knew you were there the entire time. At first, I hated every minute of it. But soon, especially towards the end, I came to appreciate it. I was happy in knowing that there was always someone there for me even if I wasn't supposed to know that you were there. I've been afraid for so long and you helped me chase that fear away. I came to except my fate. Having someone there watching over me, even if it was to make sure I wasn't turning dark, helped me stay on track. I would have given up a long time ago otherwise. Oh and I'm sorry about the Dobby thing, I hope he didn't do anything too harsh, it seemed like a good way to get rid of you at the time._

"_Hagrid, I know we haven't seen much of each other this year, but that was because I was afraid of what you'd think of me, of what I've become. You introduced me to the magical world where I found a home, family, and friends, something I never had at the Dursley's. I count you as part of my family Hagrid, dragon eggs, three headed dogs, and all. You were the person that I felt as if I could tell anything to and it made me so sad and angry that I couldn't tell you everything that was going on. I wanted to, but fear held me back. I promised myself fear would never hold me back again and that is why I had to stop Voldemort. And I just hope that I did. _

"_Luminous, Minister Friedens, when we first met, you looked at me as if you had so much hope and trust in me. I know you think I betrayed you and I did the second I read from Slytherin's Diary, but after that I wasn't myself and Merlin's Diaries knew that. I don't know when the last time you checked the chamber was, but you'll notice several volumes gone. Merlin's diaries came back to me in late March, it was how I was able to give the Potions Diary to Professor Snape. I am the Heir of Merlin for a reason. The books made sure I was worthy and then they gave me the last Diary. No one has been able to read it in hundreds of years and there's no wonder, Merlin was a Parseltongue, do you believe that? The book was waiting for someone that could speak the language and not be evil to reveal itself to. There is a five-page letter from Merlin in the book and then there is Merlin's wish. He saw long ago that Muggles and Wizards would be separated and that all magical beings would be put beneath the Wizard. Merlin's wish was for all life to become equal. Muggles, Wizards, Centaurs, Elves, everyone. We are all made of the same magic, life force, it's what holds us together and binds each other at the route of everything. We all have it, and it lives on, even after we die._

"_Professor Dumbledore, the only thing I have to say to you is I'm sorry. I'm sorry for lying to you. I'm sorry for not coming to you. I'm sorry for not trusting you. You have always tried to protect me and you have always believed in me. I'm sorry I let you down and I hope you can forgive me. There was one good thing that I got from the Heir's book before it was destroyed. I found out how I survived the Killing Curse. We all assumed it was my mother's love and in part, it was. My parents found out how to harness phoenix song, I'm not quite sure how they did it, the books description was very vague, but apparently because of my parents' spell or what not, I am able to call on it by reflex. I found some information on this in a box in Sirius' closet. I would like you to use the information my parents and I left behind, and try and figure out a way to harness phoenix song. If it can be called upon at will, then there will be a way to block the Killing Curse, a form of magic that should never have been invented in the first place._

"_There is one more thing I ask of you. There are a number of students in Hogwarts that possess the Dark Mark. I got to know these students very well and most of them are just lost and need someone to care. It may not seem so but these students are just kids looking out for their own futures. They were raised to believe a certain way and were led to believe that that way was right. Don't blame them for following in their parents' footstep, we all do eventually. If you can find a way to remove the Dark Mark do it and let these kids get on with their lives. With the exception of Voldemort's initiation, most of them have never done anything wrong._

"_I know none of this will compensate for me not being in your lives anymore and I really wish I was there. Hogwarts was my home and you were all like the family I never had, and I'll miss you all very much. But eventually you'll all get on without me, at least, that is my hope that you will. Please live life like I never could, for life will go on, whether or not you are part of it."_

With that, Harry Potter's image faded and silence ensued. Quiet cries came from various people around the room, but no one spoke, they didn't need to. No words could convey how they all felt.

They were all there for another hour, comforting each other, saying kind words about the boy who once lived, a boy who gave up everything to see the people he loved survive. An unjust ultimate sacrifice, some may say. But others, like Hermione Granger, Ginny and Ron Weasley, and Albus Dumbledore would remind them that death is only the beginning; the beginning of a new life and an even greater adventure.

A/N: The end, just seems so typical so that's why I have a sequel planned, Harry Potter and the Time of the Lost. Don't forget to review, it is the last chapter after all. :)


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